Star Wars: Destined Forces
by MoonSword1994
Summary: The First Order has been weakened but not stopped, they are still out there waiting to make their next move. The Resistance is preparing for war while Leia attempts to deal with her husband's murder at the hand of their son and the ramifications of the New Republic. Meanwhile, Rey begins her Jedi training with Luke Skywalker and there is more to learn than she anticipated.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm just doing some minor rewrites to this story. It likely won't change the story too much. Enjoy!**

* * *

Bright hazel eyes stared up at him; in them, he saw such potential, a more hopeful future that he never thought possible when he was on Tatooine. Those eyes belonged to his newly born daughter, a little bundle that fit so perfectly in his arms he wondered why he had waited so long to have a child in the first place. He was a little saddened that she did not have his eyes, but he took comfort in the fact that she looked like his sister and mother, a possible indicator that she would be a strong and fierce woman when she grew up.

"Luke!" came a booming voice from the front room that could only belong to one man. "Kid quit hogging the baby and let me see my niece. I even brought the good stuff to celebrate, so get down here already."

"Han, keep your voice down," scolded Leia, her voice carrying just as much as her husband's. "Ben, stop dragging your feet and get in here."

Luke rolled his eyes as he looked over at his recovering wife. "Would you be upset if I went and showed off our daughter to my family?"

"Not at all," said his wife, Evaan Verlaine, exhaustion evident in her voice. "I'd rather Han didn't barge in here and see me looking like this; I would never hear the end of it."

"I think you look beautiful," said Luke lovingly as he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Now, you rest as the medic said, and I'll be back in a little while."

She nodded before lying down in their bed, and Luke pulled up the blanket to cover her adequately before kissing her forehead once again. The baby in his arms squirmed, and he looked down at her, caressing her soft cheek with his human hand, his mechanical one holding her safely against his chest.

"I love you," he whispered as he kissed her nose. "And I'll always be there to protect you."

"You said the same thing to me when we married," whispered Evaan, her amber eyes glowing with love for her husband. "She's lucky to have such a wonderful protector."

"Not as lucky as I am to have two people so wonderful to protect," said Luke with a grin. He could practically hear Ben retching and Han complaining about how sappy he was being, but he hardly cared about that, he and Evaan had earned the right to be a little sentimental.

Luke then headed out of the bedroom and into the front living room, where Han and Leia were sitting on the couch with eager smiles on their faces. C-3P0 and R2-D2 were moving about in the place, likely to distract themselves and his ten-year-old nephew was sitting close to his parents, but he seemed more sullen than usual. _'I wonder what's wrong?'_ thought Luke as he glanced at the young boy.

"Master Luke!" cried C-3P0, the golden droid raced as fast as his legs could carry him to his former master's side. R2-D2 was trailing behind, making sharp beeping noises, and sounding more like a guardmech than an astromech. "It's so good to see you; I was beginning to worry that something had gone wrong. And Artoo, I'm not going to break Master Luke's progeny, quit saying you're going to arrest me for assault. You don't even have that power."

Luke laughed loudly; it was so lovely having the droids back together. "No, Threepio, nothing went wrong," he said, looking down at his daughter. "I can safely say that everything went perfectly."

The droid nodded as he looked at the baby. "I would say so, sir. She is a lovely little creature, much like Mistress Leia was when she was a baby."

Leia, taking advantage of the situation, took the baby from Luke's arms, tears already rolling down her cheeks as if she were holding her child. "Luke, she's beautiful," she gushed as she carefully touched her niece's hand. "What's her name?"

"Rey Organa Skywalker," replied Luke and his sister's tears doubled.

"You named her after me," said Leia, choking a little on the words. "I'm honored."

Han came over and put an arm around his wife as he gazed at his little niece's angelic face. "A good name, Luke, a perfect name. Hey there cutie, I'm your Uncle Han." He then tried to pull Ben closer, but the boy resisted. "And if he would stop being so stubborn, I'd like to introduce your cousin Ben; he's going to be like a big brother to you."

"Don't be shy, Ben," said Luke encouragingly and Ben stopped resisting, a little reluctantly.

Ben made it a point to stand beside his mother rather than his father and looked at Rey as if she were some new species he had never seen before. "She's tiny."

"So were you at one point in your life," said Han, rolling his eyes a little. "Although, compared to you, she is even smaller."

"Was I a big baby, Mom?" asked Ben as he tentatively reached out and touched Rey's tiny fingers.

"You were a very healthy baby," replied Leia with a fond smile before reaching out and ruffling her son's dark brown curls. "Rosy cheeks, dark hair, and the loveliest eyes. I swear most of the midwives came in to admire you rather than to take care of me, you were always being held by someone."

Ben seemed to relax a little. "Did you hold me too, Uncle Luke?"

Luke nodded. "I was the first in there, after your father of course. Chewie even had to wait before he could see you."

"The fuzz ball sends his congratulations, by the way," said Han as he stroked Rey's silky brown hair. "Wow, kid, I didn't think you'd make such an attractive tyke; I thought Leia and I were the only ones that could do that."

Leia looked ready to smack Han over the head, and Ben looked annoyed, but all Luke could do was smile, not even Han's off-colored remarks could ruin this day. Rey started to fuss, and he took her back, rocking her gently as she began to settle down again, he was amazed at how quickly he loved her already, and they had just really met; at least physically. He was so overjoyed that he was already thinking of asking Evaan for another baby.

"Has Evaan recovered yet?" asked Leia, her concern for her sister-in-law and best friend evident.

"Somewhat," replied Luke as he gave Rey his finger to hold. "She's exhausted, and I believe she's sleeping right now, maybe you can see her in a few hours."

Leia nodded. "I'll see her when she's ready to see me; I don't want her to feel obligated to receive visitors when she's not up to it."

Han snorted. "The considerate politician as always."

"Just because you weren't raised with manners doesn't mean you can criticize those with them," snapped Leia and Ben winced.

"Why don't we get a drink?" suggested Luke, sensing a possible fight between his sister and her husband. "Han, I think you mentioned that you brought some good alcohol."

"Right," said Han as he hurried over to a bag on the table. He reached in and pulled out a bottle full of bright green liquid. "Get over here and have a drink with me, Skywalker."

Leia gave her brother an affectionate look as she took Rey from his arms once again and then gestured to Ben to sit down while Luke joined Han for a drink. Han brought out two shot glasses and poured both of them full, handing one carefully to Luke before raising his own.

"To Rey Skywalker!" toasted Han.

"To Rey Skywalker," echoed Luke as he looked over fondly at his daughter and they both downed their drink.

* * *

' _I never thought the Force would be used like this,'_ thought Luke wryly as he raised his hand and summoned a clean diaper. It had been a week since Rey came into their lives and he was learning that fatherhood meant almost constant feedings and sleepless nights. Not that he minded. When he was finished changing Rey's diaper, he redressed her in the pajamas Leia had given her and held her in his left arm against his bare chest; she seemed to enjoy being held this way and he was all too happy to indulge her.

When he got back to bed, he saw Evaan's eyes shining in the dim light of the moon, and she was smiling.

"What are you doing up?" asked Luke as he eased back in bed, making sure not to bounce Rey around too much.

"I've been up," replied Evaan as she reached over and caressed Rey's cheek before her hand dropped to Luke's forearm, gently caressing his skin. "I have to say, that was one Force trick I've never seen before."

Luke smirked. "I didn't see any harm in trying; I'm just glad it worked, otherwise I would have had to do trickier maneuvering than I've ever done with a ship."

Evaan smirked as she pulled away, Luke followed suit and laid down beside her with Rey resting on her pillow between them, his arm wrapped protectively around both his wife and daughter.

"Will you train her when she's old enough?" she asked, brushing his blonde hair out of his eyes. "You said before she was born that she was a Force-sensitive."

Luke nodded, holding her just a little tighter. "She is a very powerful one at that. I think she's even more powerful than me." His eyes went to the little sleeping bundle between them. "We'll have our hands full with her when the time comes."

"Well, she is half Alderaanian," said Evaan with a sleepy chuckle as she settled in closer to Luke, craving to be closer to him. "Luke, I want you to promise me something."

"Anything," said Luke, his eyes heavy with sleep as he nestled down, his arm still holding his wife and daughter.

"Promise that if something happens to me, you'll raise Rey and both be happy," she said just as she fell asleep.

"I promise, Evaan," swore Luke before joining her.

* * *

"How did I let you convince me to do this?" asked Evaan as she finished pinning her hair up with her green amber pins, a Name Day gift from Luke when they were still with the Rebel Alliance. "I don't even like the opera."

Luke shook his head and smiled as he finished adjusting his robes, ensuring that not a single fold was out of place. Today was their eleven-year wedding anniversary, and he had managed to procure tickets for Evaan's favorite opera along with convincing Han to babysit Rey for the night while they were out. He thought this would do them some good, considering they had rarely spent a moment alone since she was born and Evaan seemed to become increasingly fatigued after having Rey. Luke knew his wife was nervous, this was their first evening without Rey in a little over three months, and like any good mother, she did not believe anyone could take care of her child except her.

Han had explained to him that this was normal and to just keep pressing forward with the night, even if he had to pin her to her chair forcefully; apparently, he did the same with Leia when Ben was almost a year and Chewbacca watched him for an evening. Luke could understand his sister's position, especially when they came home and found Ben sleeping in a cage. Evidently, that was how Wookiee babies slept.

"Evaan, you love this opera," said Luke patiently as he looked at himself in the mirror. "And don't worry about Rey, Han isn't watching her the entire night and the droids will be there."

"Oh yes, that makes me feel loads better," said Evaan sarcastically. "Why couldn't we have just stayed on Gatalenta? Coruscant isn't any better."

"You can't see this opera on Gatalenta for one," chuckled Luke. "Please give it a chance, Evaan, if you're still feeling anxious during the intermission, we'll leave."

There was silence from the fresher and Luke knew that he won the battle, although the war was far from over.

"Fine," said Evaan and moments later she stepped out. "How do I look?"

Luke was floored by his wife's appearance. She was wearing a strapless pale spring green shirt, one that was tight in all the right places, and showed off just enough of her creamy skin to tax Luke's self-restraint. She was wearing a pair of ivory dress pants that showed off her long legs and hugged tight to her well-rounded hips. Her blonde hair, the deep color of gold or a sunset, was pinned up masterfully with swirls and braids. Luke would have a fun time undoing her hair later that night.

"Is something wrong?" asked Evaan, looking down at herself self-consciously. She knew she had not exactly bounced back from having Rey, but she thought she looked better than most, although now she was not so sure.

"No, no," said Luke as he hurried to her side, sensing her unease. He kissed her softly and put an arm around her bare shoulders, and he turned them, so they were facing the full-length mirror in their room. "You look incredible, Evaan."

Evaan looked at herself in the mirror and then at Luke, if either of them looked good, it was Luke. His black robes framed his body well, simultaneously masking and enhancing his muscular physique in such a way Evaan wanted to unwrap him and remind herself precisely of what he looked like without them. She knew perfectly well, but it never hurt to have a reminder. His blonde hair, the color of sunshine, was well combed and neatly styled; she preferred it when his hair was wet from sweat and curled, but that was hardly appropriate for an evening in Coruscant. She was glad that she had opted to wear flat shoes rather than the heels Leia sent over, this way she was not towering over her husband.

"You don't tower over me," said Luke, reading her thoughts and she scowled at him. "What? You don't. You're only an inch taller than me as it is, wearing heels only puts you a couple of inches higher."

Evaan sighed. "I really should know better than to think I have a private thought."

"You do," he said firmly. "I just . . . I wanted to make sure you knew how beautiful you look and I peeked. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it was well-intentioned," said Evaan, kissing him on the cheek before resting her head on his shoulder. "Can you believe we've been married for eleven years?"

Luke shook his head. "No, it still feels like we've only been married for a couple of years." He flexed his gloved left hand, feeling the metal band that showed the entire galaxy that he was married to Evaan Verlaine. "Do you think we were crazy to wait so long to have a child?"

Evaan shook her head. "No, I think it was perfect for us. We haven't exactly been idle this past decade, we've been a little busy trying to rebuild the Jedi Order and helping those affected by the Civil War we sort of initiated."

"I guess you have a point," he conceded, briefly wondering if his young Jedi would be all right for a few days without him. He knew they would be, the few surviving priests were watching over them, but he could not help feeling slightly apprehensive. They were still so young.

"No more talk of children or Jedi or war," declared Evaan as she lifted her head. "This is our evening, and we deserve to have it free from responsibilities."

Luke grinned cheekily. "If we don't talk about any of that, then what will we say to each other?"

Evaan returned his grin with one of her own and a devilish light in her eyes. "Well for starters, we could talk about how striking you look in your robes, Grand Master Skywalker."

"And what about you, Commander Skywalker?" he asked, holding her tighter. "You look ravishing this evening."

"Well thank you, Luke," said Han as he leaned against the doorframe to their bedroom. "I thought I looked good, but it's always nice to hear it."

Luke turned a few different shades of red while Evaan giggled.

Han smirked. "If you two lovebirds are done with your pillow talk, your cab is waiting outside." He held up a wrap for Evaan that matched the color of her shirt. "Leia sent this over too, Verlaine, she wants to make sure you're decent for the opera."

Evaan huffed indignantly. "And why is she so worried? I've seen her out in public in far less."

"It's more to make sure Luke behaves himself than anything to do with your appearance," replied Han smoothly, effectively making Luke turn another shade of red. "Now, I don't start getting paid until the two of you leave, so hurry up and get gone!"

"Thank the Force Leia is going to be coming by later," muttered Evaan as she went over to Han and snatched the piece of fabric from his hand and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Come on, Luke, we really should get going. The overture starts in thirty minutes. I'm just going to say goodbye to Rey before we leave."

Luke smiled as he followed his wife out of the bedroom, only to be stopped by Han.

"Remember, pin her to her seat," whispered Han and Luke nodded. "Did you give her an out, like I suggested?"

"Yeah, I told her we'd see how she was doing at intermission," replied Luke softly, making sure that his wife could not hear them, given she was only a few feet away in the living room. "Any more advice?"

"Yeah," said Han, his lips quirking at the corners. "Don't come home at intermission."

Luke was going to say something, but he decided against it, doing so would only serve to encourage Han further, and he did not want his face to become the color of a red sun. He instead hugged his brother-in-law and headed into the living room where he found Evaan holding Rey, whispering a song as she swayed her. It was a shame they would have to leave; this moment looked so perfect that he could have happily canceled the evening and felt accomplished. Still, they did need a night out, so he went over to his wife and daughter, took his daughter from his wife's arms and kissed her forehead before setting her back down in her rocker. He then took his wife's hand and pulled her towards the door, nodding to the droids as he escorted her out of the apartment.

"Remember," he said to Evaan as they got into the cab, "we can leave at the intermission, we don't have to stay for the second act."

Evaan nodded as she shot a nervous glance back at the building. "Alright, I know I can make it to intermission."

Luke closed the door, and they relaxed in the back seat as best as they could during the ride to the opera house. Evaan would, in fact, make it to the intermission but she and Luke would not stick around to see the second act. Their disappearance had nothing at all to do with missing Rey.

* * *

The meeting with the Senate had gone as well as could be expected; they agreed to send more scouts out to find the Jedi archives while at the same time acknowledging the rumors about former Empire loyalists joining forces but determining they were untrue. Luke wished he could say something about the remaining faction of the Empire; they seemed to be rising in power, and he was growing concerned at some of the rumors he was hearing; but he was just a Jedi and as a Jedi he was expected to remain neutral in galactic affairs. He hoped that someday his sister would be powerful enough in the New Republic Senate to make some of the necessary changes to the policies that would ensure the Empire never came into power again.

When he arrived home, R2-D2 greeted him in the kitchen with a worn beep and Luke patted his dome, the astromech was going to wear out his circuits from all the work he was doing for Evaan of late. Luke headed into the living room where he found his wife napping in her chair with Rey at her side in her bassinet; he was concerned to see that even in sleep Evaan looked exhausted. "I'm back, Evaan," he said quietly as he approached the chair.

Evaan awoke, her eyes fluttering for a few moments before focusing on him. "Oh Luke, I'm sorry, I was just dozing. How was the meeting?"

Luke smiled. "It was alright; I'm just glad to be home now."

She smiled warmly just as Rey began fussing, she reached over and picked up the infant then sighed, she was far too tired to hold her right now. "Would you mind taking Rey?" she asked as she handed Rey to him, and he noticed her hands were shaking slightly as she did. "I seem to be feeling under the weather, and I don't want her to get sick."

"Darling, she's almost five months old," said Luke with a slight smile as he took the fussy bundle. "I'm sure it's normal for her to get a cold."

Evaan shrugged. "Maybe but I still don't want to risk it. She's already rejecting my breast milk, so she must taste something wrong with it. I've called for a medic to come and check on me so don't worry."

Luke smiled as he leaned down to kiss his wife's forehead, feeling the above average warmth of her skin, indicating a possible fever. "I'm not worried, I know you have a handle on things here; I'm glad you had the foresight to have your milk replicated in case something like this happened."

"Yes, my mother did that for me when I was born, and it came in handy she said," remarked Evaan with a slight smile. "Anyway, enough about my woes. I'll get dinner started."

She went to sit up, but Luke put a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back against the chair.

"You need your rest," he said sternly. "I can cook dinner one night at least; you've been doing it almost longer than we've been married."

Evaan smiled brightly. "I wonder what I did to deserve a man like you, Luke Skywalker."

"What are you talking about?" asked Luke with a boyish grin. "I'm the one that should have built a shrine to you, considering a goddess like you chose a lowly Jedi like me to spend the rest of her life with."

"A lowly Jedi who saved the galaxy," said Evaan as she reached up and cupped his cheek. "You could have had your choice of any woman, so why did you pick me?"

"Because I fell in love with you," he replied simply as he leaned in and kissed her palm. "There's no other way of explaining it, my beloved."

Evaan smirked. "Didn't you once tell me that you married me because I was the only pilot ever to outsmart you?"

Luke rolled his eyes playfully. "Of course you'd remember that. And if I recall correctly, I said that's when I fell in love with you, and I married you because I fell in love with you."

"So, therefore, you married me because I outsmarted you," said Evaan happily as Luke leaned in to kiss her softly. "You know, if you keep doing that, we'll end up with another baby before Rey's even one."

"I wouldn't mind that," said Luke sweetly as he cuddled Rey and headed to the kitchen. "A house full of kids would be a great change of pace."

Evaan sighed. "You have a temple full of kids already, Luke; you don't need a house full on top of that. Besides, they'll all either look like you or Leia; Rey already looks more like her than she'll ever look like me."

"Well, we can stop having kids once we get one that looks like you," replied Luke as he began cooking a simple dinner of cooked meat and bread. "How does that sound?"

"Perfect," said Evaan before sleep claimed her.

* * *

Luke could not keep himself from running home that evening once he was finished training his younglings for the day, he was eager to see Evaan and Rey after almost three days without them. His younglings had entered the phase of building their lightsabers, and that had taken more time than he thought possible, then again when he had done it, he had been an adult and these were children. The Padawans had been of some assistance, but they had their studies to attend so they could only be present some of the time.

He hoped that Evaan had managed without him; she seemed to be getting better, although there were those days when she could hardly move. The medics had said she had likely contracted an infection after giving birth to Rey and she was just struggling to fight it but should be better soon. Luke had no choice but to have faith that his wife would recover just like the medics said; until then he would make life as easy as possible for her from now on.

Entering his house, he immediately felt that something was wrong. R2-D2 was not there to greet him, and he did not hear Evaan or Rey. Keeping the panic down, he searched through the various rooms looking for a sign of his family, but he found no indication that they were even in the house. His heart started racing as he headed to the backyard expecting it to be empty. Relief washed over him when he saw his wife's lying in the grass with Rey in her playpen nearby, and only the picturesque scene was ruined by Rey's cries. In all six months of her young life, Rey had just cried maybe three times, the rest of the time she made noises to indicate her displeasure or needs. R2-D2 was beside the playpen, apparently trying to calm Rey down but to no avail. Luke was terrified as he ran to Evaan's side.

"Evaan," he said as he went to his knees beside her. "Evaan, are you alright?"

He gathered up his wife in his arms, and when he saw her glassy eyes and slightly blue lips, he knew she was gone. Luke held her close, tears running down his face as he tried to make sense of her death, of when it could have been and why he had not felt her join the Force. Could he have been so busy, so distracted, that he missed the feeling of his wife leaving this world? Stars, it sounded so cruel. If he had known that she was getting worse, if he had been paying more attention, things might be different. Instead, he was left holding the body of the one person who had meant everything to him.

"I'm sorry, Evaan," he sobbed as he smoothed out her blonde hair. "I should have been here; I should have taken care of you. I'm so sorry, my love."

He almost expected her eyes to resume their usual sparkle, that his apology and tears would be enough to bring his love back to him, but he was met with a stillness and quiet only broken by the cries of his daughter. Luke looked over at Rey, her face streaked with small tears and eyes rimmed red from all her crying. The promise he made Evaan a little over half a year ago came to the front of his mind, he promised to take care of Rey should something happen to her; he would never have thought that he would have to fulfill that promise so soon. He had hoped never to accomplish it. Now, he had no choice.

* * *

Luke watched in silence as his Padawans brought his wife's glass top casket up the stairs of the temple, they were all dressed in formal Jedi robes, looking every inch the Knights they were sure to become in a few months. Part of him wished that he had just listened to Leia and buried Evaan on New Alderaan, but the more selfish part of him he listened to did not want to be parted from his wife, even if she was now dead. This place had been their home for so long, and where they built their new life, it felt wrong to take her away from all of this.

The rain outside the temple was the only music that played as Evaan's casket was brought to the center of the room where it would rest for two days before being placed within the depths of the temple itself. She would be the first wife of a Jedi ever to be buried here, and he was glad the priests had permitted it. When her casket was placed on the stone slab, the Padawans stepped back to the outside perimeter and activated their lightsabers, then held them high as they angled them, so all pointed towards the casket. It was both a Jedi and Alderaanian practice for honoring the fallen.

The Padawans, his first in the new Order, were all holding back tears as they paid respects to the woman who treated them like they were her children. She had been the first face they saw when they arrived, the one who encouraged them during a difficult period in their studies, and who held them when they missed their families. Even those with families found comfort from her when the days between visits and letters from home seemed to drag on for eons.

Rey watched the proceedings just as intently as her father, her hazel eyes locked on the casket like it was the most fascinating thing. Luke held her snuggly as he looked on, he had been trying since that morning to keep himself from crying, but the closer he got to say his final goodbye to Evaan, the more difficult it became. He tried to distract himself by focusing on the many mourners that had turned up to send Evaan off, some of them he knew from the Rebel Alliance, others he had met on New Alderaan, while many were those she had befriended here on Gatalenta. Luke was hardly surprised that many people treasured his wife; her kind heart and strong spirit had been what drew him to her initially, so he could only guess that these people were drawn in similarly.

"It's almost time, Luke," said Leia softly, and he nodded in response, not trusting his voice not to crack if he spoke. "Are you sure you want me to deliver the eulogy? You can still do it if you'd prefer."

"I don't think I could get through it," he replied, his voice cracked just as he thought it would.

Leia understood and walked over to Evaan's casket, her dark blue dress flaring out around her like a waterfall. Her long brown hair was braided intricately with a golden crown nestled within, making her look every bit the princess that she was. Luke easily found Han's position and saw him looking directly at Leia, his expression reminiscent of the one he wore when Leia fired a blaster during their rescue mission. Ben was standing with Han, a somber rather than sullen expression on his face today. Both of them were wearing dark blue suits, the color of mourning for the Alderaanian people; Luke was wearing a set of dark blue robes that Leia bought him and Rey was wearing a simple dress of the same color. They were united in their grief.

"Today we say farewell to an extraordinary woman," started Leia, holding herself with dignity and grace Luke knew he could not muster today. "Evaan Verlaine Skywalker was a devoted mother, a loving wife, and a treasured friend. We grew up together on Alderaan, and when I reached the age of maturity, she was the natural choice to be my bodyguard and pilot. She took that position incredibly seriously, even when I took advantage and used her as a means of escaping court." She smiled slightly and let out a shaky breath. "I was incredibly lucky to have a friend like her at my side during our people's darkest hour, and it was because of her that part of our culture was saved. Evaan was always very stubborn about protocol towards the royal family, and she refused to speak to me as an equal, and instead addressed me as my title demanded; it was not until she married my brother that she called me by my given name.

"She fought alongside many of you here during the war against the Empire, lending her skills in firefights and raids to aid the Rebels in reaching victory. Evaan was never one to leave a man behind, feeling that a mission was a failure if even one person was lost, which is why she often was the last to the leave a battle. She wanted to make sure everyone made it home." Leia then looked directly at Luke as she spoke. "But being a fantastic pilot and loyal Alderaanian was only a small part of the woman she was. Evaan's love for my brother and my family went above and beyond the call of duty. She once told me that like most of the galaxy, she fell in love with my brother after he destroyed the Death Star, but it was not because he was a hero. It had more to do with how he flew his fighter; she said she had never seen someone fly like he did and that's what brought him to her attention. She was an excellent judge of character, almost always dead accurate but even she could be wrong. Evaan said on many occasions that Han wasn't good enough for me, and then she changed her mind when she assisted in his rescue. I believe she said that he must be worthy of my heart if I was willing to risk capture by Jabba the Hutt to save his life."

Luke gave a faint smile, and he saw Han do the same; Evaan and Han had, over the course of the last decade, become great friends and he knew her death hurt Han almost as profoundly as it hurt him.

"I know I speak for everyone who knew her when I say that the galaxy has lost a bright star with Evaan's passing," continued Leia. "She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will live on with the Alderaanian people, with the Rebel Alliance veterans, and with her family. Before her death, she gave birth to a beautiful baby daughter, and I will make it my mission to ensure that her only child will know Evaan, her story will be told so many times that it will be as if she were with us still." Leia turned to the casket and placed a hand on top of the glass. "Farewell, my sister, we will see each other again someday."

She then looked at Luke who immediately began walking towards the casket, his legs felt like lead with each step he took. When he managed to make it, he looked down and saw Evaan lying peacefully beneath the glass: her blonde hair was fanned out like a sun's rays, sky blue Alderaanian flowers surrounded her body, and a crown of them adorned her head, she was wearing a pale gold dress and Luke almost laughed. The only time his wife wore a dress was when they married, and after that, she swore she would never wear another one; she told him that she would be buried in her fighter pilot's uniform. He regretted that he did not instruct Leia to do so, but she had made a concession, and Evaan's many medals were placed among the flowers that lined her casket. Luke glanced at his wife's hands and felt a little guilty for taking her wedding band for his own; her hand looked so bare even with the replacement Han provided.

"I'm sorry, Evaan," he whispered as he put his hand on the glass, making sure to put his above hers. "I'll keep my promise to you and take care of Rey." He glanced at his little daughter who was looking at her mother. "I'll always love you, and miss you until the day I join you. Goodbye, my love."

* * *

"Go talk to him," said Leia as she cooked dinner. "He hasn't been out of that room since the funeral."

Han, who was playing cards with Ben and bouncing Rey on his knee, looked up skeptically at his wife. "Why should I? I'm a nerf herder remember? I don't know how to deal with emotions properly."

Leia tried her best not to lose her temper. "You're his best friend, and he needs you."

"Princess, you're his sister, you should be the one to talk with him," argued Han as he took a card from Rey and put it on the table. "Or send in the droid, he'd do a better job than me at comforting the kid."

"He isn't wrong, Your Highness," said C-3P0 from his station in the kitchen. "Artoo and I would be more than happy to try and bring Master Luke out of his room."

"Thank you, Threepio," said Leia, smiling pleasantly at the droid, "but that's unnecessary. Han and I are more than capable of consoling Luke on our own."

C-3P0 nodded and returned to slicing bread, R2-D2 chirped bitterly beside him.

"Mom, are you still going to give Threepio to Uncle Luke?" asked Ben as he put down his hand and took the credit chits from the middle of the table.

Leia shrugged as she put a lid on the pot of stew. "That all depends on your uncle, darling, he may think Artoo is enough to help. Although Threepio would certainly come in handy now that he has to care for Rey on his own."

"I would be more than happy to assist in Miss Rey's care," chimed in C-3P0 as R2-D2 beeped in an annoyed tone.

"I know," said Leia as she gathered some dishes. "Ben, could you go tell your uncle that dinner's almost ready?"

Ben sighed as he stood up. "You know he won't join us, so why have me tell him?"

"Ben's got a point," said Han as he went to peek at Ben's cards, only to have his son snatch them out of his reach.

Leia was annoyed now. "Fine, I'll go tell him myself. You two continue gambling."

Han smiled as Ben sat back down and Leia left the room.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you Dad?" asked Ben softly as he tossed a chit on the table.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Han with a wink.

' _That scruffy nerf herder!'_ thought Leia as she approached Luke's bedroom. She knew her husband set it up so she would speak to her brother, she was not angry at him about that but more at the fact she had let herself walk straight into his trap. "Luke, it's Leia," said Leia as she knocked on the door. "Luke, can I come in?"

The door slid open then, and she stepped inside, her heart breaking as she took in the sight of her brother sitting on the end of his bed, his head lowered to hide his face. She noticed that he was holding something in his hands and recognized it as the shawl she gave Evaan to wear when they went out on their anniversary. It pained her deeply to see her brother hurting so badly. Slowly she crossed the room and sat down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder, and he moved to rest his head against her shoulder, the two of them sitting like that for a few moments before Leia found the right words.

"You can't blame yourself," she said gently as she smoothed out his disheveled hair. "She was sick; there was nothing you could have done."

"I know," whispered Luke, his throat dry from crying, his bare fingers caressing the fabric in his hands. "Logically I know I shouldn't blame myself, but I feel like I let her down. I should have done more to try and make her well again. The fact she died of an illness . . . makes me feel so powerless, Leia. I swore to her when we married that I would always protect her and I promised Rey the same thing when she was born, but I realize now that it's a hollow promise. In the end, I couldn't protect Evaan, and now I feel like I'll never be able to protect Rey."

Leia quietly listened to his ramblings, this had been on his mind for a while she could tell, and she was not about to interrupt just to inform him what an idiot he was being. He would have to work through that himself.

"You still have Rey," she said slowly. "And she needs you, Luke. She's already lost her mother, don't let her lose her father, too." She took a deep breath as she continued to fix his hair, an act of comfort rather than necessity. "I worry about the same things with Ben. I do everything I can to protect him, but I always feel like somehow he's going to get hurt no matter what I do. That's what parents do, we worry and protect them as best we can. Evaan wouldn't want you to worry about the possibility of losing Rey; she would want you to be there for her when she needs you."

Luke nodded. "You're right, Leia, you're right."

Leia smiled. "You know, if Han would just agree with you on that, it would save us quite a few headaches."

"True," said Luke with a slight laugh. "Hey, Leia? Thanks."

"You're welcome, Luke," said Leia as she kissed the top of his head.

* * *

"Well done, Tyren," said Luke encouragingly as he watched the Padawan use the Force to push a large stone a couple of inches. "You seem to be getting the hang of it, but you're still forcing yourself, remember to allow yourself to be filled with the Force; you are a vessel, the Force uses you to carry out its will. You can direct it, but in the end, you are being directed."

Tyren nodded. "Yes, Master. Perhaps I should meditate? My mind feels clouded today."

"You may," said Luke, patting the boy on the shoulder. "Return when you are ready, and not a moment before."

The Padawan again nodded before running out of the courtyard for the temple. Luke returned his attention to his other students, his focus going to Ben almost immediately. His nephew, now nearly sixteen, had recently joined his academy at Leia's behest citing that he was starting to show an inclination for the Dark side of the Force. He knew his nephew had always been troubled and if he was beginning to drift from the Light, he was all too happy to assist in bringing him back. The boy did not have the same darkness in him that Luke had sensed in his father; Ben was merely misguided.

"Ben, why don't you try moving the stone?" suggested Luke and Ben nodded, moving to the spot vacated by Tyren. "Now, don't force anything. Channel the Force, allow it to become one with you, then direct it at the stone."

Ben gave a slight grunt in agreement, taking up a pose before clearing his mind, his hands outstretched towards the stone, and in a matter of seconds, he moved the rock almost two feet. Luke immediately clapped his nephew on the shoulder, smiling brightly at him and Ben was proud of himself, that was the furthest anyone moved the stone since they started the lesson.

"Ben, that was fantastic!" said Luke with pride. "In a few days, you should be able to _lift_ it around the courtyard."

"Thank you, Uncle," said Ben, trying to sound humble. "It's all because of your guidance."

"Wow, Ben!" exclaimed Rey as she ran up to her cousin. "You were amazing!"

Ben gave his almost five-year-old cousin a small smile. "Thanks, Rey. Maybe someday you'll be able to move a stone that big."

Rey was beaming as she pulled a rock out of her pocket. "I can already make this rock fly."

Luke knelt down beside Rey and kissed her cheek. "And what makes you think that rock can fly, huh? Why don't you show Daddy?"

"Okay!" said Rey excitedly as she held the rock in her hands. She exhaled slowly, and as she did, the rock began to lift away from her palms, floating almost a foot in the air and staying aloft. "See? I can make the rock fly."

"Rey," breathed Luke as he watched his daughter execute a Force technique that most Padawans did not learn until at least their second year. "Rey, this is incredible."

Everyone stopped practicing their lesson to watch their honorary little sister; all eyes were locked on the floating stone. Rey had become a permanent fixture in their lessons since she was a baby, coming in with her father when he taught. At first, she was kept in a small pouch on their Master's back, but as she grew older, the Padawans and Knights on break or waiting for their lesson would watch her while their Master was teaching. They always hoped that she would join the Academy someday, and now that she was demonstrating her power with the Force, they were all almost as proud as their Master.

"She's a youngling now!" shouted a Knight named Nyrissa as she came and scooped up Rey, causing the rock to fall back to the ground. "We always knew you had it in you, Rey, especially since your dad is the greatest Jedi in the galaxy."

The others rushed forward and surrounded Nyrissa and Rey, all of them offering their sincerest joy at the fact she was now one of them. The little girl was smiling shyly as she accepted their praise, her eyes then sought out her cousin, the one person she wanted to be proud of her, but she saw him looking at the floor, and he seemed angry. She wondered what could have upset him; after all, she was always happy when he accomplished something challenging.

"All right everyone, that's enough," said Luke as he pushed through the crowd to retrieve his daughter. He took her from Nyrissa and held her in his arms. "Back to your lessons, all of you."

The Padawans and Knights reluctantly returned to their respective lessons, some of them staying a little longer to congratulate Rey on her achievement before rushing off to practice. Now that their Master's daughter was to join their ranks, they were more determined than ever to perform well. Otherwise, a five-year-old would become the most advanced student.

"Did I do good, Daddy?" asked Rey, looking timidly at her father.

Luke nodded and kissed her cheek again. "You did wonderfully, Rey. I'm so proud of you."

Rey beamed again. "Now I'm just like you and Ben!"

"Yes you are," said Luke as he turned back to address his nephew, only to find him gone.

* * *

There was a massive disturbance in the Force. Luke heard the screams of Jedi, and immediately he felt sick to his core, he knew something had happened at the Academy, something horrible.

"Speed up," he said to the pilot.

"What?" asked the pilot incredulously. "We have to take things slow, Master Skywalker, there's a storm forming where we're to land."

"Something's happened on Gatalenta, and we need to hurry," said Luke, barely keeping the panic out of his voice as he attempted to reach out to his students through the Force. There was no response, only silence and that worried him more; he tried to find Rey, her presence in the Force was always strong, one he could feel without really trying, but this time there was darkness. Whatever happened affected her as well. R2-D2 beeped nervously beside Luke, and he reached out to pat the droid on the dome, trying to assuage his worries as well as his own.

The pilot did as he was told and increased the ship's speed. The pilot was right to be concerned; a massive tempest was beginning, creating rather harrowing conditions for the small transport ship. Despite the storm, Luke was ready to leap from the ship the moment it broke through the clouds but managed to restrain himself long enough for it to land. When it was on solid ground, he jumped out and sprinted as fast as his legs could move towards the temple, the tempest was hardly an obstacle as he hurried to his students. He arrived what felt like hours later at the temple, and he fell to his knees when he saw what was waiting for him.

The temple was burning, and many parts of it were now nothing but rubble. His students' bodies littered the courtyard; the lightning from the storm and the blaze of fire illuminated their corpses. Luke was devastated, his new Jedi Order and his students lay in ruins all around him, and all of his hopes for the future of the Jedi seemed dashed. Still, there was one dominant, prominent thought that raced through his mind as he stared at the destruction.

"Rey."

With the thought of his daughter, possibly injured or in danger, giving him the needed courage to move he began to walk towards the temple. He forced himself to keep moving, even as he neared his students' bodies, and he resolved to identify everyone. The first body he came across just at the edge of the courtyard was Nyrissa, his daughter's most eager babysitter, and as he turned her over he gasped at the injury, he found: she was run through the heart with a lightsaber.

With as much care as he could manage, he rolled her over entirely and pushed her flaming red hair out of her face, her final expression one of shock and fear. Her death cut him deeply; she had been his first youngling and then his first Knight, she had requested to have Rey as her apprentice, she was his first real indication that his Jedi Order was flourishing. "I'm sorry, Nyrissa," he said quietly. "May you find peace in the Force."

With a heavy heart, he continued identifying his students, all of them having sustained injuries similar to Nyrissa's; all the while he was keeping a sharp eye out for his daughter and nephew. Given his instructions, he knew that Ben would be nearer the back and Rey would likely be in the temple for her safety. He felt a little guilty for prioritizing his family over his students, but they understood when he told them; the only two that did not, were Ben and Rey, of course. They did not want special treatment because of their family, he could understand that, but that still did not mean he was not going to look out for them first. They were both so young and new to the Force.

Luke slowly made his way up the courtyard, mentally keeping track of those he found and those he still needed to find. His gut told him that he would not find a single survivor and his heart argued loudly that some of them must be alive. When he neared the burning temple, he was almost sick when he found his younglings; their tiny bodies were in a heap behind a line of Padawans, who seemed to have tried to protect the youngest of the students from whatever horror transpired here.

"So you've returned, Uncle," said a menacing voice and Luke turned around to see a man in black standing behind him, a helmet in one hand and a lightsaber in the other.

"Ben?" asked Luke disbelievingly as he took a step forward to his nephew. The Force told him that this was his nephew, but his eyes were telling him that this man could not possibly be him. "Ben, what happened here? What happened to you?"

"I am awakened," said Ben, smirking slightly. "Lord Snoke realized what you overlooked, that I am the true successor to the Skywalker line. Grandfather would have been proud of what I've done here today."

Luke was rendered nearly speechless. His nephew, his blood, was responsible for the death of all the students and the destruction of the temple. The same boy, who was reluctant even to touch a blaster, murdered almost a hundred people with a lightsaber.

"You're with the Sith now?" asked Luke, the question hardly the one he wanted to ask, but it was the only one he could give a voice.

Ben scoffed. "I am above even the Sith of Old, Uncle. Lord Snoke sees my potential and has given me everything I need to rise above all other Jedi. I have crushed the Jedi Order, and now only the First Order remains."

The implication rang in Luke's head. "Where's Rey? What have you done with my daughter?"

"She is no longer a concern," replied Ben vaguely. "Your star pupil has been dealt with accordingly."

Luke's heart was breaking, his daughter was gone, and her cousin was responsible. "Ben, where is her body? Where is Rey?"

"I am Kylo, Uncle," said Ben, his voice unbelievably calm. "Ben Solo is dead, along with your students."

"Where is my daughter!?" screamed Luke, his anger, and grief overwhelming his soul. "What have you done with her?"

Ben said nothing. Instead, he turned around and headed into the darkness, leaving Luke alone with the ruins of his life's work. He thought about chasing after his nephew, forcing the answers out of him, but he found himself unable to move. Luke knew it was not the Jedi way to seek revenge, to kill others out of rage; and it was that thought, that very lesson he taught his students, that kept him in place. If he were to find out why this tragedy happened, he would need to keep a calm head and clean heart.

"I will go into exile," he said as he surveyed the devastation. "I would be doing my students and family a disservice by fighting now, as it would be from a place of anger rather than out of a sense of duty."

Luke knew there was much he had to do before he went into exile, first and foremost he would have to give his students a proper burial, then he would have to ensure that he was not found while in exile. He would not give up on creating a new Jedi Order. The Jedi were necessary if the galaxy was to continue living in peace and if a new Empire was on the horizon, they would be needed once again. Instead, he would focus on rebuilding the culture of the Jedi, making sure the new Order had a strong foundation that he could build on; he created this one from the ruins of the old, and they ended similarly.

"Rey," he said as he looked to the sky. "Wherever you are, I will find you, and I will bring you home. I made a promise that I would always protect you, and I have failed you, but I will not fail in this. May the Force be with you."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This chapter and subsequent ones, will be in present tense. It picks up directly where 'Force Awakens' leaves off, so there are SPOILERS for the movie. Enjoy!**

* * *

The first thing that hits Rey when they exit hyperdrive is how blue the water is. In all her life, she has never seen anything like it, not even the sky is as blue as the ocean beneath her. In her dreams, the blue is not this vivid, if anything it seems dull in comparison. As they break through the clouds, she scans the view outside of the window for any sign of the island where Luke is supposed to be located, at first she sees nothing but then a very small blemish appears on the horizon. Glancing over at the map R2-D2 provided, she confirms her suspicion that this is the island so she adjusts course just slightly so she is in line with it.

Chewbacca makes a noise that sounds a little skeptical.

"I'm sure it's the island, Chewie," says Rey as she glances over at the Wookiee. "It matches to coordinates on the map."

R2-D2 beeps happily.

"At least someone trusts me," mumbles Rey as she begins preparing the _Millennium Falcon_ for landing. "I wonder where Luke's going to be? Any ideas, R2?"

The droid beeps a few times and Rey smiles.

"A place with a view, huh?" translates Rey. "There seem to be plenty of places for that."

The _Falcon_ dips steadily lower and lower the closer it gets to the island, Chewbacca taking over the final checks for landing while Rey leaves the pilot's seat and heads for the sitting nook where her staff and bag are lying on the tabletop. Her hands tremble as she reaches for her bag, the lightsaber tucked safely inside and half of the reason she is at this island in the first place. She can feel how clammy her hands are becoming and quickly wipes them on her pants, hoping that is enough to keep her from dropping the lightsaber when she presents it to Luke.

"Here goes everything," she says quietly as she picks up her staff and heads back to the cockpit just as Chewbacca begins to land the ship on a flat surface on the coast of the biggest island in the grouping. Her heart pounds in her chest as he completes the landing sequences, the last thing he does is lower the ramp onto the rocky surface below, her sign that she can leave the ship now.

"He is nice, right?" she asks the Wookiee who nods. "Good, good, just checking."

R2-D2 makes a few deep noises.

Rey tries to smile. "Don't worry, I'm just nervous, he is a Jedi master after all."

Steeling her nerves, Rey heads off of the ship, the droid and Wookiee following behind her. When she steps off of the ramp, the two stay behind and she waves at them before heading away from the ship towards what appears to be an old and ancient stone staircase that heads straight up into the cliffs above the coast. She takes in the sheer size of the staircase and begins walking up the old steps, her feet barely big enough to fit on the carved stone as she makes her ascent. Briefly she wonders if lightsabers were used to carve these steps or if some other tool was used.

Rey glances over her shoulder and sees Chewbacca and R2-D2 standing outside of the _Falcon_ watching her, she raises a hand to them before turning around to continue up the stairs towards her goal.

* * *

' _This had better be worth it,'_ Rey thinks crossly as she pauses a moment to catch her breath. She is about more than halfway or so up the stairs, her sides and legs aching from the near constant walking and she has come to rely more and more on her staff to continue the journey. When she looks up she sees a large area of grass coming up, and with the hope that it is the end of the stairs, she resumes the climb. Once she makes it to the top, her heart leaps into her throat, standing there is a hooded figure in a tan cloak looking out at the ocean.

' _That has to be him,'_ she thinks as she continues to walk though her steps feel like they are weighted down with lead. She manages to close the distance between them just enough that he turns around, his face still partially obscured by his hood, although she can see part of his face; it is then that she decides to get the ball rolling, so she reaches into her pack, her eyes never leaving him as she fumbles around for the lightsaber. Her hand closes around the cold metal of the hilt and she produces it, her arm trembling slightly as she extends the saber towards him, half expecting him to simply use the Force to retrieve it without even looking at her.

When the lightsaber is out in the open, the hooded figure turns around completely as he drops his hood. He seems to be about the same age as General Organa but the salt and pepper beard make him seem older, his grey hair reaches his neck and curls at the end, and his blue eyes seem almost bluer than the ocean behind him. He is certainly not what she expected although she had not been sure what to expect. She meets his gaze and sees something like pain and joy cross his eyes for a moment before a veil falls in order to shield the emotion in his eyes.

"Are you Luke Skywalker?" she asks, her voice cracking just a little as her nerves slightly get the better of her.

"I am," says Luke, his voice calm and strong. "And are you Rey?"

Rey is taken aback. "How did you know my name?"

"I felt your presence in the Force," he replies simply. "It speaks to me about many things."

"That's incredibly vague," she says without thinking.

Luke shrugs and his eyes sparkle just slightly. "That's the Force, Rey." He looks at the lightsaber still extended in Rey's grip. "Are you here to return that to me?"

"Yes," she says as she resumes a more relaxed position. "I . . . found it at Maz Kanata's castle."

"Is that so?" asks Luke as he begins walking towards her. "Very strange that she, of all people, would come into possession of this lightsaber. Do you know why it's special?"

Rey nods. "It was yours and your father's."

"Indeed it was," says Luke as he takes the lightsaber from her, examining it with his metal and flesh hands. "And now it's yours, Rey."

"What do you mean?" asks Rey as he puts the lightsaber back in her limp hand. "The lightsaber is yours, it's always been yours."

Luke smiles kindly. "This will be a long conversation. Shall we head inside? Or if you prefer, we can go for a walk instead."

Rey is feeling a little overwhelmed and confused by this turn of events, so she simply gestures at the ground.

"A walk it is," says Luke pleasantly and he begins walking down a path worn in the grass, Rey recovering her senses enough to follow after him.

* * *

Silence hangs heavily over them as they walk through the grassy cliffs, Rey feels compelled to speak but is unsure what she should say or if he even wants to talk at this time in the first place; he may have wanted to speak where no one can overhear their conversation.

"So, why won't you take back your lightsaber?" asks Rey when she finds the words and the courage to speak.

"Because it's no longer mine," replies Luke simply. "It may carry my essence within, but I forfeited ownership many years ago in favor of a lightsaber of my own creation."

Rey nods as she mulls his words over in her head. "So, did it call to me because it could feel the Force within me and it needed a new owner?"

Luke glances at her with a slightly amused expression. "I thought you said you found the lightsaber, not that it called to you."

Her cheeks burn slightly, she feels bad about lying to him but to her it had been necessary in case he was angry with her for having his lightsaber. "I'm sorry I lied," she says slowly. "I wasn't sure how you'd react to your lightsaber calling out to someone else."

"It isn't my lightsaber," repeats Luke calmly. "Its allegiance is now yours. You are now the one that can use it to its fullest extent. You can use other lightsabers, even those that belong to other Jedi, but they will not bend to your will as easily as the one that is truly yours."

"What if I built one, like you did?" asks Rey as they turn down a path.

Luke seems to think her question over for a few moments. "It would be just slightly more yielding than the one you possess currently, as you would have to imbue it with the Force and it would contain only your essence."

"Did it call to me because it felt the Force in me?" asks Rey as they come to a beach.

"That's entirely possible," says Luke, his voice sounding a little distant. "Lightsabers are curious objects that aren't even fully understood by those who wield them." He then stops walking and so does she. "But I have a feeling you didn't come all this way just to deliver me my old lightsaber; why are you really here, Rey?"

Rey has rehearsed this over and over during the flight to the planet; gone over exactly what she wants to say in this moment, yet now that it is here all of her words die on her tongue. "I want you to train me," she says, inwardly cringing at how desperate she sounds. "I want to be a Jedi and help the Resistance against the First Order; I want to be of use to my friends."

Something akin to pain flashes across Luke's face before he covers it with a look of somber understanding. "Very well, if that is what you want, then I will train you. Understand that your training will never truly end; you will always be tested, your limits will be pushed and surpassed, and it will likely be the most difficult time of your life."

"I understand," replies Rey with conviction. "I'm ready for this."

Luke nods. "Good. Your first tests will be to determine your level of knowledge and where you will start in your training. That, however, is for tomorrow. Today is a day of celebration and remembrance. Shall we go retrieve our friends? I believe Chewie's hungry for something other than those terrible ration packs on the _Falcon_."

"Did the Force tell you that?" asks Rey wryly as they head to another path.

"No, experience," replies Luke with a faint smile. "Chewie is usually hungry after a long journey, and he often complained about the ration packs Han kept onboard."

The mention of Han causes a small pang in Rey's heart, she still misses him greatly and feels a little responsible for his death. "How did you know that we came on the _Falcon_?"

"I would know the sound of that engine even if I were deaf," says Luke fondly and Rey smiles.

* * *

Beneath the earth is the first Jedi temple and where Luke seems to reside whenever he is not walking the cliffs on the surface above. Rey is surprised when she enters by how cozy the large temple feels; the rooms and hallways are carved from stone beneath the cliffs that seems to have been there long before the temple itself, sunlight pouring through strategically placed windows, and there is a homey feel about it.

"I hope you're hungry," says Luke as he spoons some stew into a wooden bowl.

They are currently in what Rey assumes is a kitchen; there are indications that it could have been a larder but she hardly cares, the smell of stew awakens her stomach.

"Starved," she says and Chewbacca makes a sound of agreement. "What kind of stew is it, Master?"

Luke stills for a moment when she says that although he quickly recovers. "It's fish stew, and you don't have to call me 'Master', you can call me by my given name."

Rey frowns a little. "I'm your student, not your equal, so therefore I should call you by your proper title."

"As you wish," says Luke as he sets down a bowl in front of her along with a couple of pieces of bread. "Eat up before it goes cold. If you're still hungry, please feel free to help yourself."

"Thank you," says Rey as she begins to devour her bowl before Chewbacca has his serving.

Luke smiles at her fondly as he sets down a large bowl for Chewbacca and then a smaller one for himself before sitting down at the table across from her. R2-D2 is dutifully at his side, beeping occasionally and Luke pats the droid's metal top a few times as he eats.

"You're very fond of R2," says Rey as she gets up to help herself to another bowl of stew.

"I've known him for a very long time," replies Luke warmly. "He's the reason why I met my first master when I was about your age."

Rey is a little surprised to hear that as she sits back down. "You mean you weren't trained as a child? I thought Jedi went to an academy and trained as children."

Luke raises an eyebrow. "Who told you that?"

"I did a bit of research on the way here," she admits sheepishly. "The Resistance had a holocron on the Jedi that General Organa gave me."

At the mention of General Organa, Luke's eyes go misty and Rey wonders if he knew her as well. She decides not to ask about it, as it is his business and not hers to know.

"Well, I'm glad you have some background knowledge," says Luke with a slightly broken smile. "There are more resources here that you are encouraged to use to expand that knowledge, it isn't everything but it's more than there's been in the last few years. I've spent my time here adding to the current library with what I know and what my masters have taught me."

Rey is impressed by his dedication although a little confused as to why someone like him would run away from the world when he is needed in order to work on amassing Jedi knowledge. _'That's a discussion for another day,'_ she reasons as she takes a bite of stew.

"Chewie, do you plan on leaving tomorrow?" asks Luke and the Wookiee nods. "I thought as much. Your place is with Leia and the Resistance."

"Who is Leia?" asks Rey curiously.

"That's General Organa's first name," replies Luke. "And before she was a general, she was called Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan."

Rey nearly chokes on her bite of food. "She's a princess?!"

Luke hands her a napkin to clean up the stew that fell out of her spoon. "She _was_ a princess, she retired from politics when it became clear that the Senate was not going to do anything about the First Order when it was first on the rise. Leia thought she would be of more use in the military world rather than the political one."

"If she's kept the Resistance going this long, I think she was right," observes Rey thoughtfully and Chewbacca makes a sound of agreement. "I hope she'll be able to continue on after . . . everything that's happened."

"She's stronger than she seems," says Luke though he does not sound entirely certain. "She managed to lead the Rebel Alliance even after witnessing the destruction of her home planet. I'm sure she'll be able to keep everything together despite Han's death."

"Did you know him as well?" asks Rey, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Luke nods slowly. "I met him around the same time I met Leia and R2. He was the one that assisted me in Leia's rescue from Darth Vader."

Chewbacca makes a series of growls and whines, most of it goes over Rey's head but Luke seems to understand every sound with perfect clarity.

"I know, Chewie, you were there too," he says with a slight chuckle. "We couldn't have gotten out of there without you."

"I'd love to hear more about General Organa's rescue," says Rey quietly, a little embarrassed to be requesting such personal information so early on in their meeting.

Luke does not seem to mind. "I'm sure you'll hear all about it someday, Rey. Honestly, I'm surprised Han didn't tell you about it himself, he certainly enjoyed reciting it to anyone who would sit and listen even if he did embellish a few details."

Rey grins. "I only knew him a short while, but that does sound like something he would do. Did he and General Organa stay in touch after the war?"

"Indeed they did," says Luke with a soft smile. "They married the same year the war ended."

His words echo in her mind just as the image of Han and Kylo Ren standing on a bridge comes to the forefront. "Kylo Ren is General Organa's son?!" she exclaims before she can stop herself and all Luke does is nod. "That's . . . that's horrible! Her own son killed her husband." Rey rests her head in her hands, Han's death bringing more pain than before now that she understood the complete connection between General Organa, Han, and Kylo Ren.

"It is," says Luke quietly. "She has shouldered a great deal of tragedy better than most, myself included. I wish I had her strength at times."

Rey wipes away a few stray tears she did not even realize she had released and sits back up. "I'm sorry, Master, I'm sure I shouldn't cry over Han; he wasn't as important to me as he was to you and General Organa."

She is startled when he reaches across the table and pats her hand.

"Your tears are justified," he says somewhat mysteriously. "Have you finished eating?"

Rey nods and he does as well.

"Good, then I will give you a tour of the temple," says Luke as he stands. "Chewie, you can have what's left of the stew. R2, you may stay with him until I return. Excuse us."

Together, Rey and Luke leave the kitchen, hearing the sounds of a ravenous Wookiee devouring his food.

* * *

The Jedi temple houses much more than Rey initially thought. Luke had not been joking when he said there were resources at her disposal here, the rounded library is proof enough of that. They had spent the most time in there, Rey had browsed the various bookshelves while Luke explained to her where certain necessary texts were and that her training would be a mix of technical and practical exercises. It was her second favorite room after the training room, that room had impressed her the most. There had been various exercise stations for different techniques, practice lightsabers that she is glad she does not have to use, and so much more that she wants to explore. Luke had told her that she would be expected there every morning at dawn, which segued into a conversation about where she is to sleep, hence why they are walking down a long, stone hallway.

The hallway feels alive to Rey as they walk, this area does not have the windows that the main area does so Luke carries a torch that allows for enough light in the space. Rey tries to listen to what he is saying but the pull of the feeling is too irresistible so she puts her hand out and touches the wall. The feeling of life overwhelms her, pulsating through the various surfaces of the temple and through the ground, she has never felt so connected and so small all at once. This feeling also seems familiar to her as well, like she has been here before and that it is welcoming her back.

"The Force is strong here," says Luke and his voice acts as an anchor that brings her back to the physical world. "There are places where the Force resides that are stronger than others, and here is an excellent example; I believe that is why the first Jedi temple was built here in the first place. I have only been two other places in this galaxy where the Force was even close to this."

Rey runs her hand along the smooth wall of brown stone, decorated with fading red and green images. "I think I've felt this before, it feels so familiar to me."

Luke's expression is unreadable. "How old were you when you first encountered the Force, Rey?"

"It's a recent development," she admits. "I didn't even really understand that the Force existed until I found your lightsaber. Maz and Han both explained what they could and I had to use it later on in a fight against Kylo Ren; I used the Force to pull the lightsaber to me and then I used it to throw him away from me when we were fighting."

"I see," says Luke thoughtfully. "Perhaps tomorrow I won't use any of the youngling trials and instead administer the Padawan trials."

Rey smiles slightly and continues to follow him as he walks on down the hallway. They stop just outside of a wooden door.

"This will be your room," says Luke as he uses the Force to open the door. "My room is down the hall on the right. I will never enter your room without your express permission, save for this one time. While this temple is a source of serenity and peace, I hope you will see your room as a sanctuary, a place where you can unwind and regain your sense of self. It can be easy to get caught up with being a Jedi and forget that you are a person as well."

"Thank you, Master," says Rey sincerely as she enters her room. "This is much better than the place I was living on Jakku."

"You were on Jakku?" asks Luke, standing in the doorway.

Rey nods as she takes in her surroundings. "Yes, my family left me there when I was very young. I lived in an old vehicle that was stuck in the sand, someone said it was there because of the last war."

"Jakku was the sight of the final battle of the war against the Empire," says Luke. "Anyway, we can discuss that at a later time. You've had a long day and I'm sure you need your rest, sleep well."

"And the same to you, Master," says Rey respectfully as he leaves, shutting the door behind him.

The room is spacious, a small cot tucked in one corner under a window, her bag and staff already sitting on it with the lightsaber as well. Rey smirks, she has a feeling that Luke used the Force to move them without her notice, she is not upset; actually she is impressed that he was able to accomplish such a task. There is a small table against the wall beside her with a water pitcher and basin along with a few toiletries. It almost seems like he had been preparing for a visitor.

Rey heads over to the bed and touches the blanket, surprised to find it so soft despite its course appearance. She places the staff against the wall beside her cot then moves her bag and the lightsaber to the table before pulling back the blanket; she sits on the edge and removes her boots then climbs in, bringing the blanket back up to her chin. The softness of the bed barely registers in her mind as she immediately drifts off.

* * *

Luke leans against the nearest wall as he attempts to control the welling of emotions, he can feel tears stinging his eyes and his heart pounding hard in his chest. "It's her," he whispers, closing his eyes. "It's really her."

He can barely move he is so overwhelmed by the joy that is filling his heart and the sorrow that keeps him grounded. She may be alive but she obviously does not remember anything about her past, and what she does remember is skewed at best. Luke wonders what could have possibly been done to her that made her forget everything and replace her memories with altered ones.

Luke is tempted to return to her room and speak to her again, get her to open up to him about her past and allow him to correct her false memories. He stops himself, however, knowing that now is not the time for such things. She is already overwhelmed enough with her reawakening Force powers, it is not his place to put more on her shoulders it is his place to help shoulder her burden. It is just enough for him, knowing that she is alive and has been alive all this time, and now she has returned to him.

"Evaan, our daughter is back," says Luke softly as he stands upright. "She's home now, and I'll make sure to never lose her again."


	3. Chapter 3

The sun rises over the horizon soft yellow and pink peeking over the treetops of D'Qar and General Leia Organa is already up, watching it through the window of her private quarters. The view vaguely reminds her of the first morning of her honeymoon with Han, although instead of a sea of trees it had been a sea of water; she and Han had fallen asleep on a beach in Naboo and it had been the sun that woke her that morning. Back then she had taken it as an omen that her marriage would be a good one, full of love and joy, but now it seems that it had been a warning for this very day.

Her hand drifts to the wedding ring on her left ring finger, a simple band of gold with two words engraved on the inside. This is the first time in years that she has worn the ring Han gave her almost thirty years ago. She had only worn it at home, leaving it in a jewelry box whenever she had to go in to work, and even then she would often forget to wear it when she came back. Han and she had fought about it off and on throughout their marriage; he wore his on a chain around his neck and he had suggested she did the same but she did not want to, she wanted to keep her two lives, her two selves, separate.

That seemed to work until she realized one day that her two selves were slowly becoming one and she would have to choose which she truly wanted to be. Ironically the last time she had worn it had been the day Han had left her after they lost Ben, that day she had flung the ring as hard as she could at his head, not even bothering to pick it up until after he was gone. Eventually, she had put the ring on a chain and put it in the pocket of one of Han's vests for safekeeping.

Her gaze drifts from the sunrise to her reflection in the mirror nearby, she is wearing her military uniform, her rank as a general clearly displayed on her shoulder and neck. Leia hates it. She hates how many different people she has to be, all for a different audience.

First she had been a princess, a title that gave her power in the Imperial Senate when she was old enough to wield it; this title earned her the position of leader of the Rebel Alliance and a spot in the New Republic Senate. None of those titles had been the ones she wanted. Instead of being a senator, she had wanted to be a wife and mother and instead of being a general she wants to be a widow, allowed to grieve the loss of her husband but that is not meant to be. Today, she has to be a general first and a widow second, her work and responsibility still come before those she loves the most.

"It's a wonder we stayed married for so long," she whispers as she turns away from the window, allowing herself a few moments to compose herself before leaving her quarters.

* * *

The base is already buzzing with activity as Leia heads to the command center, trying to keep her head down while observing the work around her. She sees pilots and mechanics working on their fighters, many of them still damaged from their last encounter with the First Order and some just in need of necessary repair. Leia smiles to herself as her mind wanders to the times when Luke and Han would work together to repair something on the _Falcon_ and the arguments that would ensue because they both had their own opinion of what was broken. They normally would come to the same conclusion and could then fix it without further arguments. It always amazed her how easily they could get along after arguing but she and Han would still be bitter about something even days later.

"General Organa!" calls a voice and she stops, turning around to see Poe Dameron sprinting towards her, wearing greasy looking ragged work clothes.

"What is it, Dameron?" she asks, pulling herself into a towering stance despite being shorter than the squadron leader.

Poe salutes her as he stands in front of her. "I'm sorry to bother you, General, but I was wondering if you know someone who could help repair the _Falcon_? Most everyone here doesn't have a clue where to even start with her."

Leia tries not to feel the sharp pang in her chest. "Ask Chewbacca to assist you, I know he's been moping around here since he returned from Ahch-To."

"I tried, but he refuses to help," says Poe with a shake of his head. "It's like he wants it to stay the way it is, as a tribute to his friend."

"I'll speak with him," says Leia calmly. "He might be more willing after the funeral service today, although you can never tell with a Wookiee."

Poe grins. "Thank you, General. Have you heard anything from Rey or Master Skywalker?"

Leia shakes her head. "I haven't heard from Rey since she left and with Chewie's return, I can only assume that she has begun her training with Master Skywalker. I doubt we'll hear anything from either of them for a while longer."

"I understand," says Poe. "Finn will be disappointed that Rey's gone."

"How is he doing?" asks Leia, genuinely curious about the status of the defected Storm Trooper.

"Better, from what the medics said," replies Poe with an easy smile. "He's still in a coma but he's displaying strong signs of recovery and could be back on his feet in a few more weeks."

Leia manages a smile. "That's good to hear, he did well against the First Order and I would hate to lose someone as good as him."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate the compliment, General," says Poe, wiping some oil on his pants. "I'm sorry for keeping you from your work."

"No apology needed," says Leia kindly. "I'll make sure that you have the help you need to complete the work on the _Falcon_."

Poe smiles. "Thank you again, General. May the Force be with you."

"And with you," she replies before he runs off back towards the hangar where the _Falcon_ is being stored. She watches him for a moment, noting how different he is from when he first joined the Resistance; he is slowly stepping out of his family's shadow and growing into a great leader in his own right.

She continues walking, her mind already coming up with new training exercises for the fleet and some possible ones for the soldiers, she finalizes them just as she enters the command center. Everyone seems to be doing what is expected for the moment, she takes comfort in the monotony and familiarity of the scene, whereas before she simply took it for granted that the Resistance operated like a well-oiled machine.

"They're expecting you, General," says Lieutenant Connix as she approaches with a data pad in hand. "And everything is ready for later."

Leia nods as she skims the information on the data pad, mostly just rumors and names that could prove useful later. "Thank you, Connix, resume your post until I return from speaking with the senators."

Connix nods and allows Leia to pass. She heads to the holo console where most of the senators have gathered as holograms. Immediately she notes the tension.

"Now that General Organa is here, we may begin," says Mon Mothma's hologram, much to Leia's shock. The former Chancellor had retired some years ago due to health reasons, to see her standing among them now did not sit well with Leia. "It has been decided that with the destruction of Hosnian Prime by the First Order, that creating a new senate and capital is imperative. We must not let the people believe that the First Order has crippled the New Republic, instead they must see us rise from the ashes stronger than before."

"Agreed," muttered the senators.

"Therefore, I would propose that I temporarily return to my previous position as Chancellor," continues Mothma. "A strong foundation is needed if we are to continue fighting the First Order."

"I propose the reinstatement of Mon Mothma as Galactic Senate Chancellor," says Orris Madmund, a Centrist senator from Coruscant. "All those in favor?"

Everyone raises their hands.

"Welcome back, Chancellor," says Leia and Mothma smiles kindly. "While I understand that the matter of establishing a new capital is of the utmost importance, I would like to take this opportunity to inform the Senate that the threat of the First Order continues. We may have halted their plans by destroying their Death . . . Starkiller Base but they are still out there, plotting our downfall. I propose that the new Senate commit forces from every member planet to the Resistance in order to have a standing army against Snoke and his First Order."

Silence follows her words, as well as Mon Mothma and the other senators eyeing each other but never looking directly back at Leia.

"General, has Grand Master Skywalker been located?" asks Mothma carefully.

Leia is hesitant to answer but she does. "Yes, he's been found and a Force-sensitive has been sent to retrieve him."

"And yet, he isn't here," sneers Madmund. "Your Force-sensitive seems to have failed you or your brother has decided that your cause is a lost one."

"What is this?" asks Leia, cutting through the façade she sees forming. "Do you believe that the fight against the First Order is hopeless? Do you plan on falling behind them like our predecessors did the Empire?"

Madmund snorts. "We do not plan on following in their mistakes by putting our trust and faith in the wrong person." Leia goes to speak but he cuts her off. "General, the only reason you are here is as a token gesture, you no longer hold the same influence you did while in the Senate. You, by definition, are an unpredictable loose cannon. You left your position as a senator and started this resistance when it became clear that your past was back to haunt your present. Who is to say what you might do should it be found that your past has been influencing your present and future choices?"

Leia wants to strike him for his implication and Mothma seems to detect this.

"No one here is questioning your successes as the General of the Resistance," says Mothma sternly, her eyes slide to Madmund's hologram. "You have done well and given us a start against the First Order. It has, however, been agreed that despite your clout and experience it would not reflect well on the Senate if the daughter of a powerful Sith Lord is leading the fight. It could look like you have a conflict of interest and that could undermine your authority."

"You want to get rid of me," states Leia plainly. "And you want Luke back on your side so it appears that you have a handle on the situation when in reality you have no idea what you are up against. The Senate is not prepared for the First Order, what happened to the capital system makes that clear. Replacing me and putting Luke on a leash will do nothing except improve your image; the real fight will not be fought with politics and propaganda but on the battlefield."

"You are no longer in a position to argue, Organa," snaps Madmund. "It has already been decided that a replacement is to be sent and you are to be taken to the capital to await your fate. As for Grand Master Skywalker, we will bring him back ourselves. The Force-sensitive you sent will also be dealt with accordingly."

Leia's blood runs cold; it sounds as if she, Luke, and Rey are to become prisoners of the New Republic. "I find it incredibly ironic, Senators, that before when you thought the First Order was nothing but a rumor that you were more than happy to have a Sith Lord's daughter leading the fight; but now that they are a true threat, my parentage concerns you more. If I were to betray you and the New Republic would it not have been to my benefit to do it when you were just humoring me, rather than waiting until they came into power?"

Her words fall on deaf ears.

"Your replacement will be arriving soon," says Mon Mothma quietly. "Thank you for your service, Leia Organa."

Leia wants to laugh. "No, Chancellor, I should be thanking you. Now I can mourn my husband as his wife."

She turns and leaves the room as the holograms disappear.

* * *

Later in the day, Leia returns to her quarters after informing the Resistance of their new general and her removal; needless to say they were not happy to hear that the Senate was likely going to make a mess of the Resistance. Poe had been one of the more vocal protestors of the change, saying that he would only follow her orders and no one else's. While his loyalty was touching, she had to remind him that they were fighting for the good of all people and not to let personal feelings cloud their duties.

"I should have seen this coming," she sighs as she sits down on her bed. "If my lineage affected my political career, why wouldn't it affect my military one?"

"Welcome back, Your Highness," says C-3P0 as he enters, a dark blue dress draped in his arms. "I hope you don't mind, but I cleaned and altered your dress while you were out."

Leia gives the droid a worn smile. "Thank you, Threepio, I appreciate the assistance."

"That is my prime directive," says the droid as he places the dress on a chair nearby. "You should know that Chewbacca was by earlier, he dropped off a holomessage on your desk for you. It seems to be from Master Luke."

At the mention of Luke's name, Leia is up on her feet and across the room to her desk in a matter of seconds. "Threepio, secure the room. Make sure no one's listening in."

C-3P0 nods and heads around the room, scanning for any bugs or cameras, as he does he locks the windows and doors then closes the blinds to shroud the room in darkness. Leia gave him very specific instructions as to how to secure this room and he does not miss a single one.

"The room is secure, Your Highness," says C-3P0 and she nods before picking up the holomessage lying on the edge of her desk.

With trembling hands, she opens it and a hologram of Luke's image appears in her hand, she almost weeps when she sees her brother's face for the first time in years, he looks so different from the last time she saw him. She presses the button to begin the message.

" _Leia, I'm sorry,_ " says Luke's hologram, the sound of his voice both a comfort and a source of pain for Leia. " _I'm sorry for everything that's happened. I'm sorry about Han, about Ben, and for leaving you. I know now that I shouldn't have left things the way I did, that I should have stayed a little longer with you; maybe if I had, if I had explained a few things then perhaps Han would still be with us._

" _First, I have to tell you extraordinary news._ " His hologram smiles. " _The Force-sensitive you sent me, she's my daughter. She's Rey, my Rey._ "

Leia gasps and claps a hand over her mouth to keep any other sound from escaping.

" _I know it doesn't seem true,_ " continues Luke. " _I almost didn't believe it until I saw her standing in front of me; I had sensed her presence before our meeting, but I didn't dare to get my hopes up that it was indeed her. It seems that whatever happened to her has erased her memories and replaced them with others, false memories that have her believing that she was abandoned on Jakku at a young age. It's hard to believe that she has changed so much in six years but she has, Leia, she's so beautiful and so strong; like I always knew she would be._

" _I don't know if you or Han recognized her, but thank you for sending her to me. Now, to tell you what I should have when Ben turned to the Dark side; he is not evil, Leia. In him, I have always sensed conflict between the Light and Dark but there was always just a sliver more Light keeping him from succumbing completely to Snoke's words. Yes, what he did at the temple and to Han should have turned him from the Light, and yet it did not. There is still good in him, Leia, good that can bring him back._ "

"I knew that, Luke," says Leia softly.

" _I'm sure, as his mother, you already knew that,_ " says Luke and Leia rolls her eyes. " _The rest of the galaxy will not believe you, however, just as no one would have believed me had I saved Father. If we are to bring Ben back to the Light, we need to show him that he's being lied to and manipulated by Snoke, we need someone to break through to his heart and show him that we haven't lied or hidden anything from him. And he will have to willingly atone for his transgressions against the galaxy._

" _It won't be easy bringing him back to us, Leia, he won't be easily swayed now that he thinks we lied to him about Father. If we are to bring him back, we must regain his trust, and that starts by capturing him should he be in a situation where he is defenseless or backed into a corner. Of course, that will be difficult for many reasons. Secondly, we both must admit to him that we were wrong to hide that from him, and we must be sincere._ "

Luke pauses for a moment and seems to be listening for something.

" _There is more I wish to tell you,_ " he says and she brushes back a few tears. " _There is so much more I have learned and that I wish to share with you, but that is for another time. I hope that I was able to give you hope for Ben, that he isn't completely lost to the Dark side and that he can be saved." Small blue lines begin running down the hologram's cheeks. "I honestly didn't think he left her alive, I thought he had killed her along with the rest of the students. To have her back, it's indescribable, Leia. I'm sure Evaan has been watching over her all this time, it's the only way I can explain why she's alive._

" _She's asked me to train her, which I knew she would, and I've decided that I will. Before she asked I had considered denying her request, especially given everything that's happened, but I changed my mind when she did ask; I lost my daughter once before, and I'm not about to let it happen again. Training her gives me a reason to be near her, to watch her grow, to make up for my past mistakes."_ He pauses again, as if trying to collect his thoughts. _"In time, I will tell her the truth, but not now. Right now she needs to focus on gaining control over her newly awakened Force abilities not on her past._

" _We will return when I deem it appropriate, and please don't worry about us, we're safe for the time being. I miss you Leia, not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of you or Han or Evaan or Rey; I hope to see you soon. I love you, Leia._ "

The holomessage closes after he finishes speaking and Leia reaches her free hand out to support herself on her desk. So much swirls in her mind that she has a difficult time settling on any one thought other than, _'He isn't angry. He doesn't hate Ben.'_

"Miss Rey is alive?!" exclaims C-3P0, shaking Leia from her thoughts. "I thought she had died with the rest at the temple."

Leia gives him a watery smile. "Luke never found her body, so we always hoped she was out there. He just said she had perished to keep the First Order from looking for her further, it was a difficult choice on his part." She wipes a few tears from her cheeks. "I feel so stupid for not realizing who she was, I felt a connection with her in the Force but I didn't explore it further, I just assumed she was another Force-sensitive."

C-3P0 comes over and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps you've gone so long without feeling her, that you didn't remember."

"That's always possible," she concedes. "Anyway, we can't think of that right now. We have other business that requires our immediate attention." She almost groans at her words, Han's words coming back to her from a distant memory, _'You phrase everything like it's official Senate business.'_

"Right, we must prepare you for the funeral," says C-3P0 as he hurries back over to her dress. "Would you like me to do your hair for you? I finished polishing your crown and can do something similar to what I did for Miss Evaan's funeral."

Hearing her sister-in-law's name cuts at her heart just a little, she is just now realizing exactly how much she has lost and that includes Evaan.

"I don't want to be a princess today, Threepio," she says quietly. "Today, I just want to be Han's wife and Ben's mother, I just want to be Leia Solo."

The droid stares at her and she thinks that perhaps if he were human, he would have been smiling at her. "I can do that as well, Miss Leia."

* * *

With the sun setting behind them, Leia and C-3P0 head across the base to a small building near the outskirts, hidden among the trees. There she sees Connix, Poe, BB-8, and Chewbacca waiting for her all of them wearing something to show they are in mourning. She feels too overdressed in comparison; on Alderaan, dark blue is the color of mourning and it just happens that almost everything in dark blue she owns is a dress. When they see her, they all bob their heads, Chewbacca makes a low rumbling noise in his chest and she stops to embrace him, the Wookiee returns the gesture.

"I miss him too," she says softly.

Chewbacca then makes a few short growls.

"No, of course I don't blame you," says Leia as she pulls away. "It was an impossible situation, and I'm sure Han thought what he was doing was the right thing. The person responsible for his death is Snoke, not you and not Ben."

The Wookiee seems to disagree.

"Ben isn't evil," chides Leia sternly. "He's being manipulated by Snoke, Han and I believed that and so does Luke."

"Do you plan on confronting him?" asks Poe as he opens the door.

Leia thinks over her answer carefully as they enter the building. "I'm his mother, of course I do. I just hope he gives me a chance."

Poe frowns as he follows her inside. "You'd be in a better position to do so if the Senate would just butt out. Honestly what do they think will come from having you as a prisoner?"

"They want to have control over the situation," sighs Connix. "When General Organa left the Senate, they didn't think much of her starting the Resistance, just that she was making noise about nothing. Now that they know the First Order is a viable threat to the New Republic, they don't want to be seen by the people as weak and inept so they're going to take over the only group that has done anything about the situation. This way they look like they're doing something and can claim whatever victories we might have."

"I hate politicians," grumbles Poe then he remembers who is with him. "Sorry, General."

Leia smiles. "Don't feel bad, I'm starting to feel the same way."

They enter the main room of the building and Leia has to fight back tears when she sees the holo of a grinning Han set up in the middle of the room. She knows it very well; it was taken during the Five Sabers championship race, the image had graced the HoloNet for several days afterwards. Around the holo are a few items she had requested to be placed there, including one of Han's blasters and some drawings Ben had done when he was very young. C-3P0 goes ahead and places one last item in front of the holo, a holocube that contains a collection of images.

The first image to appear is of her and Han's wedding day, held just months after the end of the war. She feels her heart ache as she looks at their younger selves, she dressed in a cream gown and he in a grey suit, the two of them smiling and looking hopeful for the future. The next image almost brings her to her knees from the pain, it is of Han holding a newly born Ben, the way he is looking at their son is so tender and loving, she is grateful when the image changes. This one almost brings a smile to her face; it is of their whole family, including the Skywalkers. Evaan is sitting beside Luke with a baby Rey in her arms, Luke's arm draped around her shoulders, the two of them smiling brightly; Han and she are sitting right beside them with Ben at their feet, all three of them giving more reserved smiles. She wonders if that was when things between them began to change, and not just she and Han.

The final image is a bit more sobering. Again it is a family photo only this time things are drastically different. Evaan is not present in this one; Luke is standing instead with a young Rey, who was about ten when this was taken, his smile is not as bright as the last one but he still seems happy. His arms are wrapped protectively around Rey's shoulders. Ben is standing to the side, looking sullen while giving the barest of smiles, she and Han do not seem as connected with each other and are standing apart. Leia had contemplated deleting this holo over the last few years, especially when Rey was lost to them, but something had stayed her hand. Perhaps she needed this holo to remind her that not everything had been as rosy as she liked to think.

"Why does that girl look familiar?" asks Poe as he looks at Rey's image.

"Because that's Rey," says Leia fondly. "She was a very spunky and happy child."

Poe and Chewbacca look at her as if she has grown a second head.

"You mean, that Force-sensitive girl, she's related to you?" asks Poe.

Leia nods. "She's my niece, my brother Luke's only child. Her mother was a childhood friend of mine. We thought she had been killed in the Academy massacre but it would seem we were all wrong."

Chewbacca makes several loud noises.

"I didn't know myself until I saw Luke's message," she replies calmly. "Don't feel bad that you didn't recognize her, Chewie, I didn't although I'm sure Han did. He was closer with Rey and Luke than I was."

Connix furrows her brow. "If he recognized her, why didn't he tell you when he informed you of her capture?"

Leia frowns. "I think he wanted to, but didn't want to be wrong. He might have been hoping to confirm her identity before telling me."

Silence falls between them, each one lost in their own thoughts. Leia called this a funeral but it was more of a memorial, there is no body to bury and she has no way of reaching out to any of Han's friends without risking the First Order intercepting the calls. The building they are in is used for such purposes, and even though Han was never a formal member of the Resistance, she thought this was better than doing nothing to honor the man she loved. When there is time and a longer stretch of peace, she will hold a proper funeral and memorial for Han, hopefully with their family in attendance.

She is glad that Poe and Connix are with her, they are the only ones on the base besides Chewbacca who knew Han well enough to call him a friend. Connix had been with her while she was still in the Senate, acting as her assistant and at times her spy; when Leia created the Resistance, Connix had been the first to be commissioned. Poe's parents had fought in the Rebel Alliance, so Leia knew them and Han eventually got to know them, he had been good friends with Poe's pilot mother and he had joked about letting her have the _Falcon_ should he ever retire. That never happened, as Poe's mother died some years ago, but both Han and Leia had maintained contact with the Dameron family. Han had been glad to hear that Poe was a pilot and in command of two fleets for the Resistance.

As Leia reflects on both her husband and the three people standing beside her, something like cold water runs down her spine. Suddenly she is overwhelmed with a powerful feeling, a great deal of anger, and in the back of her mind she senses someone close by in the Force: Ben.


	4. Chapter 4

"Focus, Rey, focus," instructs Luke as he watches Rey attempt to avoid the blasts from the Marksman-H combat remote. "You're supposed to deflect the blasts, not dodge them."

Rey grits her teeth, she has been doing this same exercise for almost three hours now and does not seem to be improving in any way. She raises her lightsaber and when the next beam of red light leaves the combat remote, it bounces off of the hot plasma and towards a rock, taking off a small piece of it in the process. She feels triumphant, relieved that she finally had a hit, then in her peripheral vision she sees another beam heading straight for her although this time she does not have much time to react. The impact does not come; she opens her eyes and sees the beam remaining in the air, still directed towards her.

"I believe that's enough for the moment," says Luke, his hand extended towards the blast. "You've done well, you managed to deflect three blasts."

"Three blasts?!" exclaims Rey as she turns off her lightsaber and puts it on her belt as she walks over to him. "All that training, all that time and I only deflected three blasts!"

Luke nods as he turns off the combat remote. "Yes. It's quite the accomplishment since most younglings don't learn how to deflect while moving until their fifth year or so. I would say you are on course to being a powerful Padawan."

Rey huffs. "I'm useless as a Padawan, I'd be more use to the Resistance as a Knight. Are you sure there aren't more ways I could accelerate my training?"

"The only reason your training has been sped up is because you've demonstrated advanced knowledge," replies Luke sternly. "You're learning the basics but by a more applied method. This is a highly unorthodox means of training, Rey, I've never combined lessons like this before."

He then releases his hold on the blast beam, it sails through the air and strikes the ground. Rey watches and is curious how he is able to do that, but she knows better than to ask, she has asked about certain Force techniques before and he always told her that in time she would learn. She feels it is incredibly frustrating not to be able to learn anything useful.

"The basics lay the foundation for the more advanced techniques," he says and she rolls her eyes. Luke uses the Force to read her thoughts and does so often, replying to her internal comments out loud; initially she had found it irritating, then she learned he was using it not to uncover her innermost thoughts, but instead he did it to correct her in the heat of training. Now she uses their connection to ask him questions and bounce ideas off of him when her training does not allow her to speak openly.

"You've been saying that for weeks," sighs Rey tiredly as she takes a sip from the hydropak Luke keeps near him for times when she is worn out. "Perhaps I should spend some time in the library, there have to be books that could let me learn this stuff faster."

Luke frowns and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Rey, patience is key in this kind of training. You've done well so far, and it's likely that with a few more weeks of solid training, you'll be on course to becoming a Knight. You can't rush this anymore than you already have, what you can do is build on your knowledge and that can assist in your advancement."

Rey struggles against arguing, he had told her when he agreed to train her that it would be a difficult task and that she would never truly be done. "I'm sorry, Master, forgive my impatience."

"You're forgiven, my Padawan," says Luke fondly and his hand briefly goes to her cheek. "I should be more understanding, after all at your age I was eager to skip what I thought were the boring parts of training to in order to learn the more interesting bits. Both of my masters told me to be patient and that my arrogance could lead me to failure."

"Do I come across as arrogant?" she asks as she takes another sip of water.

Something sparkles in Luke's eyes. "No Rey, you're not arrogant, simply eager to be of use." He thinks for a moment. "Consider this, would you rather learn the parts of Jedi training that would allow you to fight but limit you severely in other areas or learn nearly everything you can and be a more balanced warrior? Which would be of more use to your friends?"

Rey frowns. "I hate it when you're reasonable."

Luke smiles. "Would you rather I gave in and let you go off with only a fraction of your training?"

"No, I guess not," sighs Rey and she puts the hydropak down. "Shall we resume the lesson?"

"If you feel up to it," says Luke, waving his hand to activate the combat remote.

Rey brings up her lightsaber and goes back to the exercise.

* * *

When the sun begins to set, Luke and Rey head back into the temple, Rey's muscles aching from the extensive physical training she had endured that day. It had been worse in the beginning, when she first started training Luke would have to carry her back to the temple her body being so exhausted she could not move. She takes the fact she can walk after training as a sign of progress.

"Do you wish to meditate now or would you like to go to the library while I prepare dinner?" asks Luke as they enter what Rey considers as a sitting room.

"I think I'll go meditate, Master," says Rey wearily, though she is smiling. "Unless you need help with dinner."

Luke shakes his head. "No, I'll be fine. I'll come collect you when I'm finished."

Rey nods then heads out of the room. When she is gone, Luke rubs his face with his human hand.

"She's doing well," says Obi-Wan, his Force ghost standing beside Luke. "She reminds me a great deal of you at that age, powerful and eager to learn."

"Yes," agrees Luke. "It seems that despite her memory loss, she's still retained some of her training. The Force definitely remembers her and part of her remembers the Force."

"An anomaly she is," says Yoda, down near Luke's knees. "Target of the First Order she may be."

Luke tries not to groan, he has realized this from the very beginning of her training. "I'm doing my best to train her but I fear the stronger she gets, the higher the chance she will be discovered."

Obi-Wan nods. "You're right, the more she learns to use the Force, the stronger her presence will become and the easier she will be found by your nephew and Snoke." Obi-Wan strokes his beard. "I wonder, if she were to regain her memories, would her presence in the Force be even greater than when she was a child? Rey was always a bright beacon in the fabric of the Force, much like yourself and Anakin. She glows brightly now but she could become an inferno should she recover her memories."

"Are you suggesting I don't try and help her remember her past?" asks Luke incredulously. "Should I just let my daughter go on in life thinking that the people who loved her abandoned her to the life of a scavenger?"

"Tied to you in the Force she already is," says Yoda slowly. "Remembering her past, bad or good it could be. Uncertain much is."

"You shouldn't keep her in the dark," says Anakin as he appears in front of Luke. "It's always possible she may learn the truth on her own, and then she could hate you for keeping secrets. Luke, it would be better for both of you if you told her yourself."

"How am I supposed to tell her?" asks Luke as he begins pacing. "How do I tell my daughter that everything she's believed for the last six years has been a lie? And how do I prove to her that it is a lie? Yoda's right, so much is uncertain."

Anakin walks over and puts a translucent hand on Luke's shoulder, stilling him where he stands. "You'll find a way, Luke. After you tell her, you could show her the holos you brought with you from Gatalenta. It may help her if she saw familiar images."

Luke smiles at his father's ghost. "Thank you, Father." He then looks at the other two Masters. "Do you think it would be possible for Rey to regain her memories?"

"It's possible," says Obi-Wan slowly. "Of course it depends on how she lost her memories in the first place; based on some of your discussions with her about her childhood on Jakku, I would say that someone did this to her rather than her sustaining an injury. Someone who has a powerful influence over the Force, who can manipulate the mind beyond simple mind tricks."

"Ben," says Luke with conviction. "He always seemed to have an aptitude for that area of the Force. I know it's a far leap without proof, but it doesn't seem as unlikely as another Jedi or Sith Lord doing this to her. Are there records of Jedi using the Force to alter a person's memories?"

Yoda nods. "Rare they are, but exist they do. Conceivable it is that responsible Ben is. Research you and Rey should do."

"If he decides to tell her," interjects Obi-Wan. "Master Yoda, do you really think it wise for Luke to tell Rey about her parentage?"

"Decision alone it is his," says Yoda patiently. "Advise extreme caution I do. Alone and scared Rey is, believes she is hopeless she does."

This surprises Luke. "Rey thinks she's hopeless? Doesn't she realize how much she's accomplished in just a few weeks?"

"Tell her that you must," instructs Yoda. "Instill confidence in her you should."

Luke nods. "I'll try to do just that, Master."

The ghostly figures then fade from view, leaving Luke alone with his thoughts.

* * *

The meditation room is located at the center of the temple, to Rey it seemed that the first Jedi had built that room first and expanded on it as their order grew. She still prefers being in the library or training room, but there is something peaceful about the room that makes it tolerable to be in. When she enters, it is as it always is, darker than the rest of the temple with bowls full of flames sitting in small alcoves around the smooth, round walls. There are large, thin pillows sitting in a circle in the center of the room, she quickly heads to her favorite one, the one located directly across from the door. Using the Force, she closes the door behind her, a trick that Luke has been telling her to use as often as she can. She is sure that it is the basis for more difficult tricks.

When she sits down, she folds her legs beneath her and places her hands on her knees, the position she is most comfortable in. During her first meditation sessions, she had tried to copy Luke's position but did not feel comfortable in it, so he advised her to sit in whatever position made her feel at peace just as he did. With her body still and relaxed, she closes her eyes and breathes slow and deep, allowing the Force to fill her body. She thinks about something peaceful, the ocean on a still day, when no wind disturbs its surface and the waves break quietly on the shore.

Deeper in her meditation, the Force begins to manifest itself to her senses. Rey can feel it around her physical body breathing as she does; she hears it whispering to her secrets she does not yet understand, part of her whispers back to it. Suddenly she feels something, like a string in the fabric of the Force, it is clearer than anything else she senses. It urges her to follow it, guiding her being tantalizingly away from the safety of her small space in the Force. She knows it could be dangerous, it could be a trap placed by Kylo Ren to bring her out into the open, but she senses a longing in this string, a longing for her.

Rey follows the string, walking through the Force as if she is walking through air, it stays just out of reach as she chases after it. The string beckons her, calling to her and she reaches for it, her heart racing as she tries to grab it only to find herself touching a solid mass. She feels it and senses that it goes on infinitely in many directions, blocking her path in the Force and part of her mind. Suddenly a strong feeling of familiarity coming from beyond this barrier overwhelms her, she tries to listen to the feeling, to try and decipher what it means. Almost immediately voices fill her mind, all of them calling out to her from beyond the barrier, crying out her name, laughing, and shouting. One of them rises above the others, one that is so achingly familiar her heart physically hurts to hear it, she knows she has heard that voice before but she cannot place exactly where or when.

"Rey," says a voice outside of the Force. "Rey."

Rey is shaken from her mediation, her eyes snapping open and she sees Luke standing in the doorway looking at her with slight concern. "Yes, Master?" she asks, hoping she sounds natural.

"Dinner's ready," he says and she wonders if he sensed what she did.

She stands up, her legs a little shaky but she is able to follow after him with very little hesitation, even being almost halfway across the temple she can smell the delicious aroma of freshly cooked food. Her slumbering stomach growls loudly and she covers it with her arms, hoping Luke has not heard it, although she knows when she sees him smiling that he has.

They arrive at the kitchen a short while later, R2-D2 is waiting by the table, and he beeps happily when they enter the room. Rey's mouth is watering when she sees what Luke has prepared for dinner: grilled white fish, cooked mixed vegetables, freshly made bread, and a pitcher of blue milk. Until she met Luke, she had never heard of blue milk but apparently it is something he liked a great deal and she has quickly grown accustomed to it, sometimes finding herself craving it after a long workout.

"This looks incredible," she says as they sit down at the table. "You must teach me how to cook as you do."

Luke chuckles warmly as he serves her some bread. "I didn't used to cook this well, I learned out of necessity really."

Rey grins as she pours them each a glass of milk. "How did you survive?"

"Ration packs and the kindness of others," replies Luke and she laughs. "What about you, Rey?"

"Rations given to me by Plutt," she says with clear disdain in her voice. "I'd work for hours trying to scavenge something decent and I'd be lucky to get a full serving of food."

Luke's eyes harden, as if what happened to her was a personal slight against himself. He is quick to cover it up. "Well, here you won't have to worry about such things. Even if you forget to train for a day, I won't deprive you of food."

Rey nods as she begins eating. "I wish I had found you sooner then."

"Yes, it would have been nice," says Luke quietly as he begins eating as well.

She finds his comment a little strange, but she brushes it off as him simply saying that her company would have been nice to have sooner. As she eats, her thoughts drift back to what she sensed in the Force, that barrier where she heard so many different voices calling her name and that one in particular that seemed stronger than the others. Before Luke had appeared, she had sensed something in that voice, it was a strong emotion stronger than anything she had felt before.

"What's on your mind, Rey?" asks Luke and it is only then that she realizes she has been quieter than she normally is at dinner. "It's better to tell me than to keep it bottled up."

Rey swallows her mouthful before speaking. "Earlier when I was meditating, I sensed something within me, it felt like . . . like a wall between me and the rest of the Force. It's been placed somewhere in my mind. I could only go so far before it stopped me." She looks directly at him, worry shining in her eyes. "Does it mean I can't become a Jedi? Is my Force sensitivity limited?"

Luke shakes his head. "No Rey, I highly doubt it means your abilities are limited in any way. You'll be a Jedi one day soon or I'll open mouth kiss a nerf."

She chuckles at the joke but his words do not completely ease her concern.

"Rey, you shouldn't worry so much," he says kindly. "You've done extremely well since you started training, so well in fact that I believe it's time to begin a new lesson tomorrow."

Rey perks up. "What lesson? I thought we were going to work on deflecting blaster shots?"

"It goes along with it," says Luke, his blue eyes twinkling in the light. "How do you feel about learning to duel with your lightsaber?"

* * *

" _Rey, make the stone fly again. Show Daddy."_

Rey bolts awake, sitting up in bed as she tries to shake the voice from her mind, the words scaring her the same as any nightmare. The voice is the same one she heard at the barrier in her mind, the strong one with the intense emotion, and this time it spoke more than just her name; it almost sounded like a memory.

She shakes her head, clearing her mind of any lingering thoughts regarding the voice. Today she cannot afford to have any distractions; she is finally going to learn how to duel properly with a lightsaber. That thought alone is enough to propel her out of bed and push back any negativity she may be feeling. Rey quickly dresses then heads for the basin and pitcher, she pours some water in to the basin then she reaches for the bar of soap beside it, dipping it a few times in the water before lathering it up in her hands. She scrubs her face then splashes water on it to rinse away the soap, blindly reaching for the towel so she can dry herself off. When that is done, she uses the Force to lift the basin full of soapy water to the window; with one hand she maintains her hold on the basin while with the other hand she opens the window with the Force. Then she moves the basin out of the window and dumps its contents outside, she brings the basin back inside and onto the table as she shuts the window.

"Much better than before," she notes to herself, recalling how the first few times she had done that, water had ended up all over her room.

Satisfied, she continues her morning routine, brushing her hair with the hairbrush Luke provided, she then pulls a small section away from the main part of her hair and quickly turns it into a thin braid. Rey then proceeds to tie up the rest of her hair as she has always had it, with three buns running down the back of her skull, the only difference is the small braid that comes over her shoulder. She frowns slightly as she touches it, the braid is a symbol to all who recognize it that she is still a Padawan, and while she is happy to even be considered as much she would much rather be a Knight. It would mean she is inching closer and closer to being of equal standing to Kylo Ren, someone she very much wants to stop.

The last thing to go on her is her lightsaber, which she clips securely to her belt before heading out of her room towards the training room, and she knows Luke is already there waiting. When she enters, she sees him standing in the middle of the room as usual only this time he has a lightsaber on his belt.

"Are we going to duel each other?" she asks when she sees the lightsaber.

Luke nods. "The best way to learn is with a proper partner."

"I can't wait," she says happily.

"Then let's go," he says and leads her to the door that heads out of the temple from the training room.

Once they are topside again, Luke directs Rey towards an open field nestled in the cliffs of the island, she surmises that it is here he will teach her how to duel. She is proven correct when Luke removes his lightsaber from his belt so she does the same.

"You mentioned you've fought before," says Luke as he observes the outside world. "How did that go?"

Rey shrugs. "About as well as one could expect a novice to do against a skilled fighter. The only reason I was even able to beat Kylo was because I used the Force several times to throw him off."

Luke nods. "Yes, that can be a useful tool in battle, even if your opponent knows the Force as well. Demonstrate for me how you fought."

Rey nods then turns on her lightsaber, the blue plasma igniting with a familiar hum. She tries to recall how she fought against Kylo, remembering wide slashes and fast, broad strokes. Without even realizing it, she is already moving with the lightsaber, her muscles moving just as they had that fateful day when she fought Kylo in the forest. Rey dances around the meadow, swinging her lightsaber, alternating between charging and retreating until she finally ends up back in front of Luke, breathing hard and muscles aching.

"Good, thank you," says Luke, an appraising look in his eyes. "This fighting style serves you well in offensive attacks, but it has many flaws. The first is those wide strokes; while they'll cover more ground, such attacks leave you wide open in seconds. Charging forward into an attack will also leave most of you open as well, so it is unwise to do such things. Finally, your way of fighting has obviously left you worn out and breathless. It would be in your favor not to exert yourself so early in a fight, keep up a steady pace and not rush to do anything."

"That sounds counterproductive," huffs Rey, a stich in her side though she does not move to rub it, she does not want Luke to see how right he is about her fighting style.

Luke hums thoughtfully. "I guess it does. What I meant to say is your pace in a duel or in battle should be constant and changing only when necessary. Quick escapes and attacks require a great deal of energy, using them constantly will wear you out sooner than necessary, so it would be best to save those for the end of the battle or for times when you are permitted decent cover."

Rey nods. "I see. So what fighting style do you use?"

"During my time, I've mastered most types," replies Luke and she feels her jaw drop just slightly. "It's not as impressive as it sounds, I spent time here practicing and learning just as you will. Now have you recovered enough to duel?"

"I believe so," she says, her voice no longer laced with exhaustion and her breathing much easier. "Should I go easy on you, Master?"

Luke chuckles as he takes off his cloak, using the Force to put it on a nearby boulder. "You may, if you want to lose to an old man."

"You're not old," she says and he laughs.

Luke brings up his lightsaber and turns it on, the green color bright and shimmering. Somewhere in the back of Rey's mind, an image flashes of a similar lightsaber, swirling and cutting effortlessly through the air. She shakes it off and prepares herself, her own lightsaber up in a defensive position.

"We're not going to hurt each other," says Luke as he takes up his own stance. "We'll fight and we'll communicate through the Force during the duel, that way you'll have in-time instructions on how to improve your skills. I won't go for any killing or injuring strikes, but I will let you know when you've opened one up and how to correct it accordingly. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Master," says Rey and before she can blink, Luke is already bringing his lightsaber through the air, directly at her side.

Rey leaps backwards, bringing her lightsaber to meet Luke's in a quick swing, their blades hit for a moment before Luke uses the Force to _push_ her away. She in turn uses the Force to aid in her landing, her feet digging into the soft earth just slightly when they hit the ground. Glancing up she sees Luke advancing, so she darts out of his direct path although he is quick to change tactics, and she takes a swing at him, missing him entirely as he sidesteps her attack.

" _You were predictable,"_ he says through their connection in the Force. _"Smaller swings can be just as impactful as large ones and cost you less energy; you will also get more strikes in if you use small movements."_

She nods in acknowledgement and continues moving backwards, sensing obstacles and avoiding them while she comes up with a plan. Luke continues his advance, taking advantage of her indecisive position to cover more ground than he should have been allowed; he is in front of her in moments and goes in for the attack, swiping his lightsaber towards her legs. Rey sees the attack coming and blocks it with some effort, the angle a little more awkward than she is used to, then she _pushes_ him. He goes back a few feet, landing as if nothing has happened.

" _Excellent use of the Force,"_ he says as she begins advancing. _"And nice block, I might add."_

" _Thank you, Master,"_ she says as she brings her lightsaber up, aiming for Luke's arm, only to lock blades with him once more.

This time he throws her blade off and makes a swiping motion at her belly and she understands without words that it is a killing strike. Backing up she brings her lightsaber to the front and Luke engages her, the two of them exchanging blows while blocking each other, neither uses the Force right away. Luke pushes her to move, guiding her to where he wants her to go and she tries to resist, sidestepping when she is able and changing directions when she feels an unobstructed path. She is focused solely on avoiding his blade and changing his plan that she does not sense as much as she should, and as their blades lock once again Luke jerks up on his violently and she is sent backwards. She is not on even footing and trips over a slight mound, going down before she can save herself, her lightsaber leaves her hand as she falls.

Luke stands over her, his lightsaber pointed at her chest for a moment before he turns it off and offers her his hand. She accepts it, although she is tempted to _retrieve_ her lightsaber and continue the duel, given his especially vulnerable position at the moment.

"An excellent start," he says as he sits on a nearby rock, somewhat winded from the exercise. "You're a fast learner, Rey, very impressive."

"I would have died twice," she says as she joins him, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"And injured seven times," says Luke and she glares at him. "I didn't say anything because I didn't want to interrupt, you were doing very well for someone who has only swung a lightsaber once in combat. Your reflexes were remarkable, it seems using the combat remote worked well."

Rey tries not to roll her eyes. "Yes well, after a few days with it, I should have learned something."

Luke pats her shoulder gently. "You've learned much these past weeks, Rey." He thinks for a moment. "Do you know how most Jedi Padawans become Knights?"

"The trials," she answers, having read about them recently.

"Yes, and they are not often administered in a classroom," says Luke as he looks at the ocean. "In times of peace, it could take almost a decade for a Padawan to become a Knight." He sees the understanding in her eyes. "In times of war, it is much easier for a Padawan to become a Knight as the trials can be experienced on the battlefield. My first students, my first Knights, were made Knights through skirmishes on the outer rims."

"And will I become a Knight through this war?" she asks, knowing that must be the reason why he brought this subject up.

Luke nods. "Yes, it is probable that like me, you will be a Knight baptized by fire and come out stronger for it. When this war is over, I hope you will assist me in rebuilding the Jedi Order."

Rey looks at him skeptically. "Master, forgive me, but didn't you do that before and it ended . . . badly?"

"That's putting it lightly I suppose," agrees Luke. "But being here and researching the old ways, I understand now some of the mistakes of the previous Order. For example, the previous Order forbade all types of attachment, that is why younglings were taken at such a young age and why the older Jedi were forbidden from having families. The Force is to be served completely, they thought, without entanglements that could sway you from your loyalty to the Force."

"Perhaps I've already failed," she mumbles, thinking of her friends on D'Qar and the family she never knew.

Luke shakes his head. "If you've failed then so have I, because I also have attachments. What will make the new Order different, is among other things, it will not have attachments to the New Republic, it will simply serve the people and the will of the Force."

"Did you serve the New Republic last time?" she asks curiously.

"Not really," admits Luke. "I would meet with the Senate from time to time to discuss some topics I found vital to the continuation of the Jedi. Should I manage to rebuild the Order, it will not even have that minimal involvement with the New Republic. I will also encourage my students to have attachments. They won't be isolated as they were before nor will I take children without letting them have contact with their families."

Rey nods appreciatively. "I suppose if the old ways failed, doing some things differently could be the key to success."

"That is my hope as well," says Luke quietly and together they gaze at the ocean. "We'll practice dueling more tomorrow, there's much more to teach you."

"I look forward to it," she says smiling.


	5. Chapter 5

" _Rey, how many times have I told you? No tinkering with Daddy's ship."_

"I'm sorry," says Rey and hearing her own voice wakes her up from her slumber.

The voice has been getting stronger these last few days, of all the voices from that barrier it is the most persistent and makes its presence known often. It is driving her crazy, each time she travels to the barrier during her meditation, the voice seems to get stronger and says things beyond her name.

"I have to do something about that barrier," she says to herself as she rubs her temples. "There has to be a way around it, there has to be!"

"Rey?" says Luke through the door. "Rey, are you awake?"

Rey looks out her window and sees the sky is dark outside; it is likely the middle of the night. "I'm sorry, Master, I didn't mean to wake you," she says as she sits up, using the Force to open the door.

Luke stands in the doorway, dressed in a simple white shirt and tan pants. "Are you alright, Rey? It . . . it sounded like you were having a nightmare."

"I was dreaming," admits Rey, pushing some hair out of her face. "About this . . . voice."

"May I enter?" asks Luke and Rey nods, he comes in and sits beside her on the bed. "Do you know whose voice it is?"

"I think . . . I think it's my father's voice," says Rey with the tiniest smile. "I've heard it twice now say, 'Daddy'. I know, it might be a trick by Snoke or Kylo but I want to figure it out all the same, and stop it if it is one of them trying to manipulate me."

Luke nods. "I understand. Does this have anything to do with that wall in the Force you mentioned?"

Rey nods. "I believe it does, I didn't hear this voice until I encountered that wall." She looks at him imploringly. "Is there a way I can break through?"

"It's possible," says Luke slowly. "I will have to consult with my masters and the texts in the library."

"Are your masters here?" asks Rey, using the Force to try and sense their presence. He told her before that he is able to commune with his dead masters and that is how he gained his knowledge of the Force and Jedi ways.

"No, they haven't made themselves known to me yet," replies Luke. "When they do, we'll ask them together."

"You'll teach me how?" she asks, straining not to yawn.

Luke nods. "Yes, it's about time someone else knew how to speak with them. I think I just look even more like a crazy hermit when I speak with them by myself."

Rey laughs but it quickly turns into a yawn.

"You should rest," says Luke, putting a hand briefly on her shoulder.

"No," she says tiredly. "I want to resolve this now."

Luke gently _pushes_ her back into bed. "That can wait until the morning, in this state you aren't ready to do anything." He leans over and pulls the blanket up around her. "You need your rest, Rey."

Rey sighs. "I know but . . . I'm afraid. This voice, it frightens me."

"Why is that?" asks Luke, somewhat concerned.

"I've only heard my father's voice once before now," she says softly. "It was when I had a vision after touching yo—my lightsaber. This voice sounds similar; it's distant, and not completely clear. I want to know what it all means."

"We will find out, Rey," says Luke as he rises and heads to the door. "I promise, you will uncover your past. Just get some rest first, we'll start researching about the barrier in your mind first thing in the morning."

"Master," she says, looking up at him and he looks back at her. "Thank you for . . ."

"You're welcome, Rey," says Luke, smiling at her before he closes the door.

Rey nestles down in her bed, smiling to herself as she feels sleep pulling at her body; before she drifts off, she cannot help but think that Luke's voice and the voice from her dream sound a little similar.

* * *

Luke makes his way back to his room, on the verge of tears as he closes the door behind him. "Evaan, I'm such a coward," says Luke as he falls to the ground. "I can't even tell my own daughter who I am and who she is."

"You speak to Evaan as if she can hear you," says Anakin, materializing in front of him. "She isn't like Obi-Wan, Yoda, and I she can't hear you."

Luke glares at his father's ghost. "And neither can Mother. Why are you here?"

"I heard what you told Rey," says Anakin, kneeling to face Luke. "You're going to teach her how to see us and how to overcome the barrier in her mind. Why don't you just tell her the truth yourself? It would be better coming from you than learning it on her own."

"I know," sighs Luke, running his robot hand through his hair. "I just wish I could be braver, I don't know how she'll react and I don't know if I'll be able to handle her hatred."

"Why are you so certain she'll hate you?" asks Anakin curiously. "I don't sense it in her to hate, not that strongly. You should have more faith in your daughter."

"What should I tell her?" asks Luke desperately. "I . . . I never thought I'd have this conversation with her."

Anakin smiles at Luke and puts a hand on his shoulder, the only gesture of comfort he can offer. "Search your heart, Luke, you'll know what to say."

"Thank you, Father," says Luke and the ghost disappears.

Luke then stands up, heading for his bed. He sits down on the edge and closes his eyes, searching the Force for Rey's presence and he finds it easily enough. She is a bright beacon, just as Obi-Wan said. This is the only way he can tell her.

"Rey," he says, both aloud and in the Force, "there's something you need to know. The Force is strong in my family. My father had it, my sister has it, I have it . . ." he takes a deep breath, "and you have it."

He pulls away from her in the Force before lying back in his bed, he can only hope that she received his message and understands. Luke closes his eyes, unsure of what the morning will bring.

* * *

Rey wakes the next morning feeling strange, her dream last night was of the voice again, and this time it spoke to her of a family; that she is part of a family of strong Force users. She rubs her head, she has a headache now and she can tell without meditation that it is coming from the part of her mind that is blocked in the Force.

"Rey, are you awake?" asks Luke through the door.

"Yes, Master," she says as she gets out of bed, swaying on her feet. "You may come in."

She opens the door with the Force, although it is a little shaky and Luke comes in, he sees her and rushes over. He catches her before she falls to the ground, her head rests against his shoulder and her body slumps against him.

"I'm sorry," she says, her voice weary. "My headache . . . it's winning."

"I'll see what I can do," says Luke softly and he gently helps her back into bed, pulling up the blanket around her shoulders. "Try to rest now, I'll be back with some medicine."

Rey breathes her agreement, her head pounding now and she tries to go back to sleep.

"My poor girl," whispers Luke before he leaves the room, heading for the medcenter.

"Her headache is because of the barrier," says Obi-Wan, appearing beside Luke as he walks. "Whatever is being held back is attempting to break free."

Luke nods as he enters the medcenter. "I know, Master. It seems that the barrier will break regardless of what we do, but it would be better if she broke it herself rather than have it break on its own."

"Agree with you we do," says Yoda, appearing next to Obi-Wan. "Looking for a solution we have been."

"Have you found anything?" asks Luke as he searches an upper cabinet for a headache remedy, if anything to ease Rey's pain at the very least.

Yoda nods. "Speaks to us, the Force does. The solution it has."

Luke greatly detests the secrecy and vagueness of the Jedi, especially the old ones.

"Rey must use the Force to overcome the barrier," says Obi-Wan, sensing Luke's annoyance. "She is powerful but with the barrier, her access is hampered, so she will need an amplifier to give her Force sensitivity a temporary increase. Once she overcomes the barrier, her power in the Force will be completely restored."

"What do you suggest I use as a amplifier?" asks Luke as he takes a couple of bottles from the cabinet. "The only thing I can think of is a kyber crystal."

Yoda and Obi-Wan both nod.

"There are several here in the temple," says Obi-Wan, looking at Yoda who nods again. "They must be pure, they cannot have been used in a lightsaber or corrupted by the Sith."

Luke sighs heavily as he leaves. "Then what?"

"She must meditate while the crystals are around her head," replies Obi-Wan as he follows Luke out of the medcenter.

"Why her head specifically?" asks Luke as he turns down a corner.

"There the barrier is," says Yoda sternly. "Quickly you must act, running out time is."

"It's always something," mutters Luke before entering Rey's room. "Forgive the intrusion, Rey but I have medicine for you."

Rey barely stirs, her eyes flitting open for a moment and a small smile graces her lips.

"Oh Maker," says Luke as he rushes over, forgetting completely that her pain is being caused by the barrier in her mind, his only thoughts now revolve around the fact his only child is suffering. "Hang on, Rey."

"Master," she whispers as he begins administering the medicine. "I think you sound a little like my father. Isn't that funny?"

Luke looks at her with tears in his eyes. "That's because I am your father, Rey."

Her eyes cross and she closes them, a groan slipping past her lips and he cannot tell if she actually heard him or not. That does not matter to him now, what matters is getting her well again. Forgoing the medication, he instead scoops Rey up in his arms as gently as he can, making sure he has a decent grip on her before heading for the meditation room.

When he arrives, he _moves_ some of the pillows to form a surface for Rey to rest on, once that is done he puts her down on it as gently as he can manage. She grimaces in her sleep and his heart aches. Quickly he rushes to a part of the room where several boxes are littered, he knows exactly where to look for the unused kyber crystals, having found them when he first arrived at the temple. He opens a small chest and finds the glowing crystals within, he can feel the Force flowing within them and he knows they will work for this purpose.

"Hold on, Rey," he whispers as he returns with the box of crystals.

Luke does as Obi-Wan instructed, placing the crystals around Rey's head; he notices the moment they are near her they glow even brighter. When he is finished he attempts to rouse Rey enough so she can at least hear him.

"Rey, can you hear me?" asks Luke and when she does not respond, he takes one of her hands in his. "Rey, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand."

He feels his hand being squeezed.

"Good, now listen to me," he says gently. "I've placed kyber crystals around you, you need to enter a state of meditation and use the power from the crystals to break the barrier in your mind. Do you understand me?"

Again she squeezes his hand.

Luke places his free hand on her head. "Do it when you can, I'll be here the entire time."

"Help me," she manages to whisper. "Too difficult."

"I'll help you," says Luke softly. "Just focus on the Force, Rey. I'll guide you."

Rey squeezes his hand again and together they enter the Force.

* * *

All around her is the Force and yet, she is still greatly aware of the physical pain in her head, she is glad at least in the Force she can stand and move.

"The pain," groans Rey, clutching her head.

"Don't focus on it," says Luke, his image appearing before her. "We need to get to the barrier, it's the only way to stop your pain."

Rey nods then takes his hand and together they run for the barrier. She has been to it so frequently that she no longer requires the string to guide her, but it is still there like a waiting friend, happily journeying with her to the wall in her mind. When they arrive, Rey places her hands on it, feeling the presences beyond and she struggles to continue standing. Glancing around she notices cracks in the barrier, and she realizes that it will not take much to break it.

"Rey, you need to focus," says Luke encouragingly. "The kyber crystals are giving you their support but you have to focus! Use their energy to break through the barrier."

"How?" asks Rey, moving her hands over the barrier to feel for any weaknesses.

"You'll know," replies Luke.

She nods and attempts to focus on the strong energy of the Force she feels around her, it is there just beyond her reach, the throbbing dull pain at the back of her mind preventing her from feeling it fully. Suddenly warmth envelops her, keeping the pain at bay long enough that she can feel the Force completely, she glances down and sees the string wrapped around her body, she smiles at it before returning her attention to the barrier. Using the power she now has, she turns it upon the barrier, from where her hands are the wall begins to crack like a mirror breaking, and the lines of damage continue moving outwards, the more power she puts behind it the faster they move. Then all at once, it shatters.

Her mind rushes now that the wall in her mind is gone, images fly by her faster than she can comprehend, until one fully materializes. She is standing in a ship, there are a couple of stormtroopers and two individuals not dressed in white armor: one is a young girl, maybe twelve or thirteen, she is wearing tan robes and has her hands bound and the other is sitting across from her dressed in all black wearing a familiar helmet.

"You won't win," said the girl and Rey gasps when she realizes that it is herself, only much younger. "My dad will find me and when he does, he's going to make you pay for what you did to the Academy."

Rey then realizes that this is a memory, her memory.

"Foolish girl," said Kylo. "Your father will never find you, I've hidden your presence from him in the Force. To him, you will seem dead, just like the rest of his students."

"Why didn't you kill me?" asked young Rey glaring at Kylo. "You killed everyone else, why not me?"

Kylo did not answer right away. "You could prove useful later. I'll make sure that you don't cause any trouble before that time."

Young Rey frowned sharply. "What are you going to do to me?"

"I'm going to hide you," said Kylo sternly. "On a remote planet where you'll be safe. I'll alter your memories, you won't remember anything of your life now; you'll have a different life and different memories."

"Why do you hate us, Ben?" asked young Rey. "What did we do to you?"

"That doesn't matter now, cousin," said Kylo, his head hung slightly.

The image changes and another memory comes forward. This time she is standing in a stone courtyard; the sun is setting in the distance, casting a red glow over the area she is at, she looks around and sees many people standing in the courtyard with her. Most of them are carrying lightsabers, and barely seem to be any older than she is now. She easily spots herself among the crowd, recognizing that version from the previous memory. Looking in the same direction as the others, she sees a figure cloaked in black.

"Rey, get behind me," said a red-haired young woman, a yellow lightsaber in her hands.

"Nyrissa, what's going on?" young Rey asked.

"I don't know sweetling," replied Nyrissa, trying to smile. "Just get back, and should the worst happen, get to your father's ship."

"I won't leave you!" shouted young Rey.

Nyrissa shook her head. "You must, Rey!"

Suddenly the cloaked figure pulled out a lightsaber, one Rey recognizes and she rushes towards the man, realizing what is about to happen.

"Leave them alone!" she shouts just as the lightsaber activates, the crossed blade glowing a deep red. "Kylo, they're innocent!"

Kylo Ren does not hear her, nor does he see her, instead his focus was on Nyrissa and Rey's younger self, he advanced slowly. Nyrissa grinned as he did, her lightsaber ready for attack.

"New look, Solo?" asked Nyrissa scathingly. "I have to say, I didn't think black was your color."

"Fighting me is pointless, Jedi Knight," said Kylo, his gaze going to young Rey. "You are all going to die. It is time for the Jedi to end."

"I'll stop you!" cried Nyrissa and she engaged Kylo, their blades locking before they _pushed_ each other back.

Young Rey pulled out her lightsaber, ready to activate it and defend her friend when a dark skinned young adult rushed forward, his blue lightsaber at his side as he grabbed her upper arm and began pulling her back towards the temple. Young Rey fought against him the entire time, shouting that she needed to help Nyrissa, that it was the Jedi way to help her friends. Just as they neared the temple, Nyrissa screamed and both Reys turn to see the young Knight fall to the ground, dead.

"Nyrissa!" screamed young Rey and she rushed to her but was stopped by Tyren. "I have to save her!"

"She's gone, Rey!" shouted Tyren as they watched three more Knights engage Kylo, only for all three to fall at once, the red lightsaber cutting through all of them. "Rey, get in the temple and hide! You're the priority now."

Rey can see that her younger self is conflicted but she did as she was told and ran inside the temple, she follows the young girl and finds that she did not listen entirely, staying near the entrance of the temple. Both of them watch in horror as Kylo cut through several more Jedi, and using the Force in terrible ways that make Rey want to be sick.

"Daddy, please hurry," whispered young Rey, her voice thick with tears.

Young Rey then bolted inside the temple, using the Force to shut the large doors behind her as she headed deeper and deeper into the temple. Rey follows her younger self, wondering where she could possibly be going. Finally she sees where her younger self is headed, it turned out to be a hangar where an old X-wing class fighter sat in excellent condition with the canopy opened.

"Is she—am I going to fly that thing?" she wonders aloud as she watches young Rey climb into the cockpit, putting on a helmet and beginning to start up the ship. Rey is more than a little impressed that at such a young age she knew how to fly an X-Wing.

"I've found you," said Kylo as he entered the room. "You tried to evade me but in the end it was futile. I've already dealt with your father's students and now I will deal with you, young one."

He used the Force to keep the ship in place.

The image shifts again, this time Rey stands in a living room, a fire roaring in the fireplace and her young self was sitting in a chair nearby with R2-D2, wearing a pair of blue pajamas instead of Jedi robes. Upon closer inspection, Rey sees that she is tinkering with a small communicator.

"See?" said young Rey. "I told you I could fix it, R2. I'll be able to fix you up too if you want."

R2-D2 beeped a few times and young Rey frowned.

"I'm just as good as Dad and Uncle Han," snapped young Rey and R2-D2 beeped again. "One time! That was one time! I didn't know that would disconnect your head but I put it back, didn't I?"

"Are you arguing with R2 again, Rey?" asked the voice from her dreams and Rey almost falls to her knees when she sees a younger looking Luke Skywalker enter the room. This Luke did not have completely grey hair nor did he have a beard, instead he had a clean-shaven face and much more blonde in his hair. His sky blue eyes, however, remained the same as she knew them.

"Dad!" shouted young Rey as she got up from her chair and rushed over to Luke, throwing her arms around his chest in a tight embrace. "Can we have dinner now?"

Luke rolled his eyes and kissed the top of her head. "You act like I've been gone for weeks, starshine. I was just gone for a couple of hours meeting with the Senate."

Young Rey looked up at Luke. "But you _are_ going to be gone for weeks, aren't you?"

"No, Rey, only a few days this time," said Luke gently, caressing her head. "I'll be back before you even miss me. Nyrissa's already offered to watch you while I'm gone and she'll be taking over your training until I return."

"But why can't I go?" asked Rey as she untangled herself from her father, and they walked from the living room to the nearby dining room.

"Because it could be dangerous," said Luke as they sat down at the table, a couple pots already waiting. Rey notices a pitcher of blue milk also on the table. "I don't know what's waiting out there for me, so I can't very well drag you into it. You're much safer at the temple, starshine."

Young Rey pouted. "You don't think I could help, do you?"

Luke shook his head. "No Rey, I think you could handle yourself well enough, but I'm your father and as your father it's my responsibility to keep you safe when I can." She continued to pout and he thought for a moment. "How about this, the next time I have to leave, I take you with me? No matter what it is, you can go with me."

"Really?" asked young Rey, looking torn between being happy and suspicious.

"Really," replied Luke sincerely as he poured her a glass of milk. "I love you, Rey."

"I love you too, Dad," said Rey with a bright smile.

Rey jolts awake, taking in ragged breaths as she tries to calm her racing heart, she looks around and sees Luke above her looking very worried. She can feel his hands on her, one in her hand and the other on her head.

"You're my father," she says without hesitation. "That voice I was hearing . . . it was yours. Why didn't you tell me?"

Luke looks ashamed of himself as he moves his hands away. "I tried to, I told you last night through the Force and this morning when you said something about my voice sounding like your father's. I had hoped you'd at least heard me."

Rey moves to sit up and Luke moves away from her, his gaze on the ground. She reaches out and puts a hand on his shoulder, prompting him to look at her even though he is reluctant.

"Dad, I remember you," she says and his eyes shine like two suns. "I don't remember everything but I remember that you're my father, and that Han was my uncle and that Kylo . . . is my cousin. And I know what he did to me."

Luke brings his good hand up to cup her cheek. "My Rey. My darling Rey. I'm so sorry for everything that's happened to you. I wish I had been stronger, like your mother and or my sister Leia, I wish—"

"But you are strong," says Rey kindly, leaning into his touch. "You kept going even after what happened, and—sister? You mean, General Organa is your sister?!"

"Didn't I mention that?" asks Luke wryly. "Yes, Leia is my twin sister, her son Ben is your cousin and my nephew. Han was your uncle, as you deduced."

Rey is struggling to hold back tears, all this time she has been dreaming of a family and now that she has one, it is almost too much to believe. "Kylo changed my memories, that was why the barrier was there. It was to prevent my real memories from returning. He also said that he hid my presence in the Force from you, that's why you couldn't find me."

"The Force remembers all," says Luke as he wipes away her tears with his thumb. "I never thought you were dead, Rey, not for a moment."

"It feels so strange," she says as she moves over to embrace him as tight as she can. "This morning I didn't have a family and now I do."

Luke holds her tightly, tears rolling down his cheeks. "You always had a family Rey, it was just a matter of finding us again." He pulls away for a moment to look at her. "How much do you remember?"

Rey is a little hesitant. "Just the last days before I ended up on Jakku. My last meal with you and R2, Ben attacking the academy and watching my friends die, and lastly being on Ben's ship; that's how I learned what he did to me. None of the memories seem complete or enough, but that doesn't matter right now."

"I'll help you get your memories back, Rey," swears Luke. "And we'll start today."

"What about my lessons?" asks Rey curiously as they stand up. "I'm supposed to practice dueling again."

Luke shakes his head. "No, today we can rest. There's so much I want to show you, Rey."

Rey nods and takes her father's hand and together they leave the meditation room. Luke leads her to his room, when they enter he directs her to sit on the bed while he goes over to a worn looking military trunk. She watches as he rummages through the trunk, bringing up a smaller box full to the brim with holoframes and recordings.

"What is all that?" she asks amused as he comes and sits beside her.

"Your childhood," replies Luke as he pulls out a holoframe. "This one holds the first photos of you when you were born."

Rey smiles as he activates it, the first image being of her as a tiny baby, wrapped in a white blanket and moving around just a little. The image changes to one of a beautiful blonde woman holding her, the woman seems to be talking to the person behind the imager.

"That's your mother," explains Luke, looking sad as he gazes at the woman's face. "Her name was Evaan Verlaine, your aunt's bodyguard and pilot. They were brought up together on Alderaan."

"I look like Aunt Leia," laments Rey. "I don't look like my mother at all."

Luke chuckles. "Not physically no, but some of the faces you make are so much like hers that for a moment you do. Especially when you're determined, that face alone makes you your mother's child."

"What part of me is you?" asks Rey, searching her father's face for any similarities.

"Your smile and your laugh," replies Luke fondly. "And some of your facial features look like mine, but you're right, you look like your aunt and my mother as well. Your mother wasn't too happy about that, I promised her that we would have children until we had one that looked like her."

Rey perks up. "Do I have brothers and sisters?"

Luke shakes his head sadly. "No, your mother and I didn't get the chance to have more children. She died when you were six months old."

"Oh," says Rey quietly and she looks back to the holoframe. This one shows a much younger version of her father than she saw in her memory; he is smiling brightly, his golden hair shining in the light as he cuddles her against his chest. "You look handsome in this photo."

"Your mother thought so too," says Luke warmly. "I wish she could have lived to see you today, she'd be so proud."

"I wish I had memories of her," says Rey sadly. "I guess I was too young to remember."

Luke puts a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I have enough pictures of her that you'll always know her face." He picks up another holoframe, he opens it and there is an image of her parents dressed in formal attire. "This was our wedding day."

Rey grins, her father was wearing a set of white formal Jedi robes and her mother was wearing a flowing white gown, a thin veil pouring down from her hair. She likes the way her mother's hair is done, piled up on her head with lots of curls and pearls woven through.

"You both look amazing," says Rey as she watches her parents' images start to dance together. "Mom was certainly beautiful. I can see why she caught your eye."

"I fell in love with her piloting skills first," says Luke as he too watches the image. "She's the only pilot to ever outmaneuver me, and it was in that the moment I knew I had fallen in love with her. Oh and that was one of only two times I saw her in a dress, she preferred her flight suit or more casual wear."

"When was the other time?" asks Rey and she can tell by the way his face falls that it was when she died. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, I'm fine," says Luke softly. "She looked as beautiful at her funeral as she did on her wedding day, I'm sorry to say." He then laughs. "I wonder what she'd think of me now, with grey hair and a beard."

"Probably still think you're as handsome as you were in this holo," says Rey with a grin. "And she'd probably tease you, she seems the type."

"That she would," agrees Luke then he picks up another holoframe. "This one has a few pictures of you with your aunt and uncle."

Rey takes it and opens it, almost crying when she sees Han holding her on his shoulders; she could not have been more than three or four at the time. "I think I remember this," says Rey slowly, a memory taking shape. "Aunt Leia . . . she was taking the holo . . . arguing with Uncle Han about the pose. He was teasing her, I think. Did he do that a lot?"

Luke nods. "Yes, he liked to tease her, it was his way of showing love. Do you remember his nickname for you? He used to call you—"

"R-Wing," interrupts Rey, smiling broadly. "He called me 'R-Wing', he said it was because of the fighters you and Mom flew!"

"So you do remember!" exclaims Luke happily. "And Aunt Leia called you . . ."

"Little gem," finishes Rey. "And you called me 'starshine'. I heard you say that in one of my memories." She looks at the image of her and Ben sitting together, she was in his lap and she frowns. "Will I get my memories back, Dad?"

Luke puts an arm around her shoulders and pulls her in so he can kiss her temple. "You will, Rey. I know you will."

"What's my full name?" asks Rey curiously.

"Rey Organa Skywalker," replies Luke and she nods.

They continue to look through the holos, Luke telling what stories he can and Rey informing him of every memory she recovers. It is not long before Rey is telling a story or two, with Luke filling in the blanks, both of them relishing the fact that they have found each other again. Later, R2-D2 finds them sleeping in Luke's room, holoframes everywhere and the two of them leaning against each other, smiling.


	6. Chapter 6

"Where are we going again, Your Highness?" asks C-3P0 as he packs some of Leia's clothes in a trunk.

"Ahch-To," replies Leia as she puts some items in a box. "We need to find Rey and Luke before the New Republic does. They're in danger and don't even realize it."

"But surely the New Republic knows where Master Luke and Miss Rey are," says C-3P0 as he continues his duty. "And besides, you're expected to be escorted to the new capital."

Leia shakes her head. "The only map is with R2 and he's right where he needs to be, with Luke. Those who saw the map are still loyal to me and to Luke, so they won't betray us without cause; besides Chewbacca is the only one who knows how to get there, and we both know he won't say anything or let anyone inspect the _Falcon_ 's navicomputer. And I'm not about to be brought back in chains by the Centralists."

"I really wish you would reconsider, Your Highness," sighs C-3P0. "It would be much safer for you on New Alderaan."

"I can't leave them at the mercy of the New Republic," snaps Leia. "They're the only family I have left and I won't abandon them."

C-3P0 shakes his head. "They're not going to be happy that you've left."

' _No, but this is the only way,'_ thinks Leia as she puts some holoframes in the box. She has just received her marching orders and is expected to leave the base today for the new capital, in response to the fact the new general will be arriving tomorrow. Apparently the Senate thinks that having the old and new general on the same base at the same time would be a bad idea; it might undermine the new general's authority if she is still present, and it is likely they need her under their watch until they can figure out what to do with her. Leia hardly minds, the Resistance is no longer what it was at the beginning and this gives her the perfect opportunity to place herself, Luke, and Rey at least two steps ahead of the New Republic. This would ultimately put them on even ground with the First Order.

There is a knock at the door. C-3P0 quickly abandons his task to answer the door, on the other side is Connix and Poe, both of them looking angry and distraught.

"Lieutenant Connix and Commander Dameron, Your Highness," says C-3P0 as he allows the two officers inside, shutting the door behind them.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" asks Leia as she continues to pack.

"We're here to convince you to stay, General," says Poe, stepping forward. "You can't turn tail and run, not when we need you."

Leia is slightly amused. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, Poe but I've been officially relieved of my duty, I don't have any reason to stay here. But that doesn't mean I'm turning tail and I'm not about to follow what the Senate ordered."

"Where are you going, General?" asks Connix and Leia sees a duffle bag in her hand.

"Ahch-To," replies Leia and she points at the bag. "Is this your way of saying that you're going with me?"

Connix nods. "I've been with you this far, ma'am, and I don't plan on abandoning you yet."

Leia chuckles. "I should have known better than to think I could get something like this by you, Connix. And what about you, Poe? Are you going to join the Rebellion as well?"

"Is that what we're calling it now?" asks Poe wryly. "I have to say I like it better than the Resistance, especially if it has you leading it, General. And to answer your question, yes. Since we can't convince you to stay, I'm here to offer both Red and Blue squadrons to your aide, all have sworn utter loyalty to you and the cause of fighting the threat of the New Republic and the First Order."

"That's a little presumptive, Poe," says Leia sternly. "We don't have any proof that the New Republic is a threat to anything other than me and my family. And besides, you can't lead both of your squadrons away from the Resistance; they're needed here to protect the people against the First Order. The people always come first, Poe, you know that."

Poe nods. "I do, General, but I sense that things are about to change and not for the better."

"Are you a Jedi now?" asks Leia with a smirk.

"No, just call it a pilot's instincts," replies Poe with a confident grin. "Give the word and you'll have two well trained squadrons at your side, to go along with your two Jedi."

"Poe, your squadrons are needed here," repeats Leia. "You can't abandon everything and everyone just because the New Republic does something you disagree with."

"Isn't that exactly why you left the Senate?" retorts Poe. "The New Republic is acting contrary to its core beliefs and I for one don't want to see a repeat of the war my parents fought in so soon after we've achieved peace."

Leia rubs her temple. "As much as I agree with you Poe, I can't condone abandoning the Resistance. You're too valuable as are your squads. You have to stay here."

Poe shakes his head. "No General, I'm not about to let everything we've worked for go down the drain because of politics! You didn't stand for it and neither will I. We're all going with you, whether you approve or not."

"You seem more determined than I've ever seen you, Poe," says Leia somewhat fondly. "You remind me a great deal of your parents and they wouldn't have stood for this either. If you and those under your command are sure about this, then you may follow me but not to Ahch-To; after I find my brother and niece, I plan on heading to New Alderaan, I have a few contacts that could help us. I want you and your squadrons to meet us there."

"Understood," says Poe, saluting her. "May I ask, what will be done about Finn? He's an ex-stormtrooper and valuable to the First Order. The New Republic might use him as leverage or as a bargaining tool."

Leia nods, having thought of this herself. "We'll take him with us. The New Republic has moved the capital back to Coruscant and we'll tell anyone who asks that we're taking Finn with us there to receive better medical care."

"I'll start prepping him for transport," says Poe happily. "I have a few friends that could forge a request for me."

"I don't want to know," says Leia sternly. "And how do we explain both of your squadrons leaving at once?"

Poe smirks. "Training exercises. It's not unusual for me to scramble my squadrons at a moment's notice."

"Good," says Leia with a proud smile. "Connix, I need you to contact my friends on New Alderaan, let them know we're coming. Use the secure channel in the _Falcon_ , I don't trust the communications on the base anymore, Chewie will let you on."

"Thank the Force he let me make some repairs and upgrades to her," says Poe wryly. "He's been standing guard there ever since though."

"I'll do that right away, ma'am," says Connix solemnly. "Is she still there?"

Leia nods. "Indeed she is, now you must hurry. I want to be off this rock before people get suspicious. I might be expected to leave but not on my husband's ship."

"You have other allies here, General," says Poe. "They'll want to help you."

"I know, but if everyone leaves at once, it will tip our hand to the New Republic," states Leia firmly. "Tell only those you trust, and I mean trust with the lives of your children, not just with your own lives. When we can, we'll gather everyone on New Alderaan and prepare for a new Rebellion. The Resistance is finished now that the New Republic has become involved."

Poe grins widely. "General, this is much more fun than being part of the Resistance. Now I understand why the Rebellion was first created."

"Don't get too caught up in the fun, Poe," says Leia. "We still need to get out of here first."

"And we will," says Poe as he heads out of the room. "I'll have Finn at the _Falcon_ in about an hour, two at most depending on the line for paperwork. I'll also have my pilots on standby, just in case, General."

Leia nods. "I look forward to seeing you at New Alderaan, Poe."

"And I you," says Poe as he leaves.

"Connix, are you sure you won't be missed?" asks Leia curiously.

Connix nods. "I'm sure, Princess Leia, I followed you in here and I'll follow you out."

"I'm glad to have a friend like you," says Leia and she turns back to her luggage. "I need to finish up here, head for the _Falcon_ and tell Chewie to get the engines running."

"Of course," says Connix. "And I'll make sure to let her know to expect us. He's probably there too, just be ready for the . . . exuberant welcome."

Leia smiles to herself as Connix takes her leave. She has to admit this is starting to feel more like the Rebellion from the Civil War than the Resistance ever did. _'I think everything will work out now,'_ she thinks as she continues packing.

* * *

Almost an hour later, Leia and C-3P0 head to the hangar where the _Millennium Falcon_ is waiting, Chewbacca is waiting on the gangplank for them. Leia is quick to embrace him, something she has taken to doing whenever she now sees the Wookiee; he does not seem to mind and initiates almost as often as she does.

"Is everything ready, Chewie?" asks Leia as they enter the ship.

Chewbacca nods, making a few grunting noises.

"I know," sighs Leia as she puts her luggage in a nearby cargo hold. "Sadly we don't have much of a choice, if we're going to save Luke and Rey, then we have to act quickly otherwise it could be a disaster."

Chewbacca lets out a low whine.

"Han would've been happy to know you were looking out for his R-Wing," says Leia with a soft smile. "Now, let's get this rust bucket in the air. Threepio, head for the medcenter, make sure everything is in place for Finn's arrival."

"Yes, Your Highness," says C-3P0.

They head for the cockpit, when they arrive they find that Connix is already standing inside of it, a pleased smile on her face.

"Connix," acknowledges Leia as she sits in the co-pilot's seat.

"Ma'am," says Connix. "Your friends on New Alderaan know to expect you and they're making preparations for a meeting with your other allies. Poe is on his way with Commander Finn; apparently the line for paperwork wasn't all that long. Is that droid of yours in the medcenter already?"

"Yes he is," replies Leia and she raises an eyebrow. "And _Commander_ Finn? Since when did he get a rank?"

"We thought it was appropriate," says Connix with a slight blush. "Considering all he's done for the Resistance, now the Rebellion, Poe and I thought he needed a rank when he wakes up."

"Then you should have picked a last name for him," says Leia with a smirk. "His first name isn't suitable for a military title."

"I've already picked one out, General," says Poe as he enters the cockpit, wearing his orange jumpsuit; the way he acts and dresses continues to remind her of Luke and Evaan. "Commander Finn Gunner. How does that sound?"

"Like a Rebellion leader," says Leia with a short laugh. "Just be sure to tell him about his new name and rank when he wakes up, alright?"

"Sure thing," says Poe with a smile. "I've situated Finn in the medcenter, Threepio is tending to him right now. I hope that droid knows what he's doing."

Leia smiles proudly. "Threepio's been upgraded these last few decades beyond just an interpreter; he has basic medical skills now, so he should be able to maintain Finn's machines until we get to New Alderaan. You should head for the hangars and prepare to scramble the fighters."

Poe nods. "Yes, ma'am. Now if you'll excuse—"

Suddenly sirens begin blaring, soldiers and pilots pour out of every nearby building. Poe tenses and looks out of the windscreen, anxiety written all over his face.

"Go," says Leia sternly. "Whatever's going on, they need you right now."

"I'll see you on New Alderaan," says Poe before he sprints off of the ship.

Chewbacca looks to Leia who shakes her head.

"I'm too old for a blaster fight," sighs Leia, rubbing an old scar on her upper arm. "We'd be more help to them in the air, Chewie, so that means getting this bucket airborne." She then looks over her shoulder. "Connix, go down and man the first laser cannon, I'll be there shortly to take over the other."

"Yes, General," says Connix before heading out of the cockpit.

Chewbacca begins the liftoff sequences, Leia assisting as well as she can, she is having a difficult time concentrating; she can feel her son drawing nearer, whatever this attack is, he is likely the one behind it. When life hums through the _Falcon_ , she leaves the cockpit heading for the ladder that will take her up to the unoccupied cannon. In the back of her mind, she remembers that this had been the same cannon Han had used when they were escaping from the Empire's TIE fighters. Chewbacca proceeds to bring the ship off of the ground.

Leia gets in easily, amazed that she can fit, it is smaller than she remembers; she sits at the cannon and puts in the headset as she turns on the scope and grabs the handles to control the cannon. "Connix, are you there? Are you ready?"

" _Ready, ma'am,_ " replies Connix.

The _Falcon_ rises over the hangar and Leia gasps when she sees the scene playing out all around her; First Order shuttles have landed on the base, stormtroopers are pouring out in all directions while the Resistance soldiers rush to cover. She spots the orange jumpsuits of the pilots easily as they run across the airfield for their ships while stormtroopers chase after them; anyone with a gun is firing at them to give the pilots more time, only to have the troopers turn on them. Leia looks up and sees the sky is full of First Order cruisers and TIE fighters.

" _General, are we to engage?_ " asks Connix through the headset.

"Aim for the TIE fighters," orders Leia as she aims at the nearest one, blasting it out of the sky before it can even see her.

With the TIE fighter's fall, all attention is immediately on the _Falcon_. Chewbacca is quick to act, moving the ship out of the immediate line of fire, taking the ship higher towards the cruisers. Moments later, X-Wing fighters join them in the sky, Leia sees the monikers of the Red and Blue squadrons and she smiles before blasting away at another TIE fighter. She chases it with the cannon's fire, making a diligent effort not to strike anywhere near the base, and finally she hits it although not where she wants. It flies off course and crashes to the ground, taking out some supply crates in the process.

"Chewie, fly us higher!" shouts Leia. "We can't risk hitting the base!"

Chewbacca roars in agreement and moves the ship higher in the air, now they are completely surrounded by First Order ships. He gives several roars in response.

"I know, I know!" shouts Leia as she chases fighters with her cannon. "But we can't go anywhere yet until we've at least given the Resistance a chance."

Several more growls and roars came from the cockpit.

" _General, Chewie says there's an incoming transmission from Poe,_ " says Connix and Leia does not even want to know how Poe got the channel for the _Falcon_.

"Patch him through, Chewie!" orders Leia, hitting the back of a fighter, which sends it spiraling towards the ground.

" _What are you still doing here?!_ " demands Poe. " _You should have been out of the atmosphere by now, General!_ "

Leia rolls her eyes. "I'm not about to abandon everyone when I can do something to help! What's your position?"

" _Engaged with a rather determined TIE fighter,_ " replies Poe and she can hear blasts in the background. " _Don't worry about us, General, you need to get out of here before something happens to you and the ship._ "

"Chewie, head for Poe's fighter, he's in a bit of trouble," instructs Leia and the ship changes course, en route for intercepting Poe's X-Wing. "Hold on, Poe, we're coming for you."

" _Do you ever listen, General?_ " asks Poe.

"Not at all, Dameron," chuckles Leia just as his X-Wing comes into view. "Connix, aim for the fighter on Poe's tail."

" _Roger that, ma'am,_ " says Connix and the two of them begin firing at the fighter.

Their fire does hit the TIE fighter and it blows up just as Poe's fighter pulls away from the blast and Leia inwardly cheers. She then feels something, something coming for her; she closes her eyes and searches the Force, almost immediately she feels herself being pushed back, confirming that her son is in fact present. The danger he presents is directed squarely at her and her allies, that much she could tell before she was shoved out of the Force.

"Chewie, we need to get out of here," says Leia with some reluctance. As much as she wants to find Luke, she wants to find her son and attempt to bring him back to the Light side; if she stays she knows that she runs the risk of being killed, so it is better if she leaves now and gives the Rebellion a chance to start. There are too many people depending on her for her to needlessly risk her life now.

"Poe, see you soon," says Leia as the _Falcon_ begins flying higher and higher into the sky.

" _As soon as the base is safe, we're going to head for the rendezvous point,_ " says Poe as he flies towards the cruisers. " _May the Force be with you, General._ "

"And with you," says Leia just as Chewbacca breaks the atmosphere.


	7. Chapter 7

Clashing green and blue lightsabers strike each other, maintaining contact for a few brief moments before the blue one spins down the green one's shaft towards the hilt. The green one barely has time to move before the blue one is locked with it again, this time the wielder _pushes_ the other back slightly, releasing both blades. The blue blade cuts through the air, the green blade meeting it in a defensive position, the wielder of the blue pulls back just slightly and attempts to drive beneath the green blade. The green one cuts it off and the blue one retreats just slightly before coming back for the attack, the two blades crashing into each other once again. The green one comes charging up, slipping beneath the blade of the blue and touches the hilt, knocking it away from the wielder's hand.

"That's hardly fair, Dad!" protests Rey as she rubs the slight burn on her hand. "I almost had you this time."

Luke grins broadly as he deactivates his lightsaber. "That you did, starshine. It seems you've improved, getting your memory back certainly helped."

Rey nods as she _summons_ her lightsaber while walking over to Luke's position. "I remember dueling with Nyrissa, and you, and Ben on occasion. There were other duels, but you three were the most frequent."

"Yes, Nyrissa was eager to have you as her Padawan," says Luke as they sit down on a flat rock, he offers her a hydropak, which she eagerly accepts. "I was the one who had you duel with Ben, I thought if the two of you dueled and worked together, it might help him fight against the darkness in his heart. It seems it worked, in a way. He did keep you alive, after all."

"I suppose you're right," sighs Rey before taking a long drink of water.

"Can you find it in your heart to forgive him?" asks Luke as he takes a drink of water.

Rey ponders on his question for a few moments. "I'm not sure, what he did to us was a terrible thing. He killed my friends, your students, and kept us apart for the better part of a decade. I don't think I can forgive him yet."

Luke puts a hand on her shoulder. "I wouldn't expect you to yet, you're still angry at him for what he's done. I've had six years to come to terms with what happened, you're just regaining the knowledge so you can't be expected to forgive so easily or so quickly. That being said, it would serve you better in the long run to let go of your anger; hate and anger only lead to the Dark side."

"So the Masters have said," says Rey, glancing around for any sign of the Force ghosts. Luke recently taught her how to see and commune with the ghosts, and through that she has gotten to know those who meant so much to her father and her grandfather. "I think Ben had more anger in him than hate. From what I remember, he always seemed so angry when he wasn't pretending to be happy."

"Your memory is definitely returning if you've realized that," says Luke sadly. "You're correct, Ben always seemed to be angry but tried to hide it whenever he was around others. You and I were the only ones who saw how troubled he was; I tried to help him by showing him the ways of the Jedi and you tried to help him by being his friend."

Rey hums. "Dad, do you think there's still good in him?"

Luke looks up at the sky. "I think, somewhere in his heart, is the Ben we know and love. I hope to draw that part out of him and break Snoke's hold on him, but I'm worried."

"Worried about what?" asks Rey curiously.

"Two possible outcomes," replies Luke as he looks at her. "I'm worried that should I help him, I'll fail and Ben will only fall deeper into the Dark side of the Force or that he'll break free and Snoke will attempt to seduce you to be his next apprentice."

Rey puts a hand on Luke's shoulder. "You shouldn't worry about that, Dad. I've already resisted Snoke before, he tried to convince me to kill Ben when I fought him in the forest and I didn't, I resisted."

"I don't know whether to be proud or concerned even more," says Luke with a worn smile. "Regardless, I'm sure you'll be able to resist him when the time comes."

"I'm sure she'll be strong," says Anakin as he appears. "You were able to resist, Luke so I'm sure she will too."

"You were tempted by the Dark side?" asks Rey, her eyes wide with surprise.

Luke glares at his father's ghost. "I'm not proud to admit it, but yes, I was tempted. It wasn't directly; they used Leia as a means of getting under my skin, saying they would try to turn her to the Dark side. It was enough to make me angry enough to fight my father, and in that fight the Emperor told me to kill my father and take his place. I realized that what I was doing was wrong so I refused, saying that I was a Jedi as my father had been."

"Bold words," says Rey with a smirk.

"It runs in the family," says Anakin smiling. "Your mother was pretty bold too, Rey. There wasn't a chance in hell that you wouldn't be."

"Is that a compliment, Grandfather?" asks Rey wryly and Anakin nods.

"We should be heading back home, Rey," says Luke, standing up. "It's almost time for dinner and you still need to study."

Rey rolls her eyes as she stands up as well. "Why do I have to study those kriffing data pads? I remember enough of what I learned before."

"Watch your language, Rey, I didn't bring you up to swear like that," sighs Luke as they head back to the temple. "And secondly, you know the basics but there's more you need to learn and remember."

"Don't worry, I'll help you," says Anakin as Luke opens the door to the temple.

Suddenly both Jedi feel a disturbance and look up, stunned to see the _Millennium Falcon_ appearing in the sky. Rey smiles and looks to Luke who is also smiling although she can see the worry in his eyes, she has a feeling she knows why; the ship should not be here, not even for a pleasure visit.

"I wonder why Chewie's back?" says Rey as the ship begins to land near their position.

"Rey, use the Force and feel who's here," instructs Luke as he begins heading for the ship.

Rey does as she is told and reaches out to the Force, feeling a strong presence aboard the ship, a presence that is extremely familiar to her. "Aunt Leia!" she cries and rushes to catch up to Luke.

The gangplank for the _Falcon_ drops and moments later, Leia and Chewbacca descend. Leia looks around and sees her brother in the distance, with tears in her eyes she runs to him, he sees this and picks up his pace; they collide in a tight embrace.

"It's so good to see you, Leia," says Luke as he holds her, rubbing her back in a comforting motion. "I've missed you so much."

"Luke, oh thank the stars," she says into his shoulder, her tears wetting the fabric of his robes. "I thought I might get here too late."

"Why? What's happened?" asks Luke, pulling away from Leia just slightly.

Leia is a about to reply when she sees Rey coming up to their position and she breaks free from Luke, hurrying over to her niece and embracing her as well. "Rey! I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you back on the base. I should've but—"

"It's alright, Aunt Leia," says Rey soothingly as she hugs her aunt. "I'm not angry at you, besides, I've only just recently recovered my memories."

"What do you mean 'recovered'?" asks Leia as they pull away from each other. She looks at Luke and then again at Rey, the two of them looking at each other.

"It seems I have more to tell you, Leia," says Luke as he puts a hand on her shoulder.

* * *

In the temple's kitchen Luke, Rey, Leia, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and Connix are all gathered around the small table after a meal of Luke's cooked fish, rations from the _Falcon_ , and a seemingly never ending pitcher of blue milk. Rey sits between her father and aunt, curious as to why she is there is the first place when the Resistance needs her now more than ever. It had, however, been silently agreed between the brother and sister that the important topics would be discussed after dinner had finished.

"Now, why are you here, Leia?" asks Luke as he pours himself an after dinner glass of milk. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but I thought the Resistance needed you."

"The New Republic Senate has relieved me of my duties," replies Leia briskly and Rey chokes on her drink.

Luke reaches over and pats his daughter on the back.

"Why?" breathes Rey when she is able to speak.

"They don't trust me," says Leia with a slight sigh. "Now that they know the First Order is a true threat, they want to become involved and since I'm a "loose cannon", as they put it, they need to put someone more reliable in charge. I don't know who it is but what I do know is there's something rotten in the Senate."

"What makes you say that?" asks Rey, wondering at the last second if she is even allowed to ask questions.

Leia does not seem to care. "The Senate is behaving strangely; they want to have you and Luke at their command and the Resistance under their control. They're far more concerned about their public image than they are about stopping the First Order."

Rey is enraged and confused. "But, shouldn't stopping the First Order be their only priority? They've already lost an entire system, how much more do they have to lose before they open their eyes?"

Luke strokes his beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps they don't care about stopping the First Order." Leia and Rey look at him incredulously. "Think about it, by having the Resistance and the last Jedi under their control, in theory the Senate has eliminated the two biggest threats to the First Order entirely. They're looking to appease the First Order and Snoke, not fight them."

"And I was the fool who gave them that chance," says Leia shaking her head. "When I left the Senate and started the Resistance, many Populists elected to follow my example and left as well, not enough left to shift the power completely but we lost the majority. With a Centralist majority, there's nothing to stop them from reverting the New Republic back to the Empire. Mon Mothma may have control of the Senate for the moment, but she will still yield to the democratic system. They're in the position to reshape the New Republic."

"Then we have to stop them," says Rey sternly. "Or at least convince them that the First Order is set on destroying them like the Empire never was."

Luke puts a hand on her shoulder. "They wouldn't believe you."

"Besides, this is only speculation," pipes in Connix. "If we're to accuse the Centralists of working for the First Order or at least attempting to, we'll need solid proof against them."

"That's not our concern right now," says Leia firmly. "Right now, we need to protect Rey and Luke from the New Republic. They're getting ready to retrieve you two themselves and I'm not about to let them do that."

"What are you proposing, Leia?" asks Luke curiously.

"Taking you off planet and getting you to New Alderaan," replies Leia. "Due to your association the Alderaanian people, you both have protection. You'd be much safer there than here and the New Republic won't be able to touch you."

Rey nods. "Then we should go there as soon as we can. I didn't leave one prison just to end up in another."

"If it's the only way, then I am inclined to agree," says Luke and Leia is a little surprised that her brother is going to leave so willingly. "Rey, you, Chewie, and Miss Connix need to pack our things. Take what you can to the _Falcon_ , including what you can of the archives, just because we're leaving doesn't mean your training has to stop."

"What about what we can't carry?" asks Rey, somewhat concerned.

"I'll seal the temple against anyone who might try to steal from it," replies Luke calmly. "It was sealed when I first found it and only those who truly use the Light side of the Force can unseal it."

"Then they should get started," says Leia kindly. "As much as I want to know about how you remembered who you are, Rey, that can wait until we're all in a safer place."

"Alright then," says Rey and she stands up, Chewbacca and Connix following her. "It shouldn't take us long, will we be sleeping on the _Falcon_ then?"

"If you want," says Luke with a shrug. "I'll be here in the temple until we leave tomorrow."

Leia seems worried. "We should leave tonight, Luke."

Luke raises an eyebrow. "Why? The New Republic doesn't know we're here and we still have to pack. Besides, it'd be better if we left in the morning when our pilot is more awake."

They all look at Chewbacca who is struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Maybe you should go rest, Chewie," says Rey kindly and Chewbacca nods, making a few weary noises to emphasize the fact. "Connix and I can pack without you just fine, besides you have to make sure that Finn's doing well."

"Threepio has that covered," says Leia. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see you again, Rey. He was very fond of you when you were a child."

"I remember him," says Rey with a smile. "He was always fussing about something or other. I think that's why I preferred R2."

Luke laughs heartily and Leia just smiles.

"Go on and pack," says Luke, his eyes sparkling.

Rey leans over and kisses his cheek. "I'll be back in to say goodnight, Dad."

"Alright," says Luke and she and the others leave the dining room. When they are alone, he looks sharply at Leia. "What aren't you telling me, Leia?"

Leia lets out a long sigh, leaning back in her chair, now she knows why Luke agreed to leave, he figured out there is a more important reason to leave than the Senate. "Han always said I wasn't a true politician because I couldn't lie well, guess he was right." She looks out of the window at the darkened world outside. "The First Order attacked the Resistance base on D'Qar."

Luke is hardly surprised but he does not let on, instead he beckons his sister to continue.

"I believe the assault was led by Ben," she resumes. "I could feel him there, his presence was incredibly strong and very angry. He pushed me away from the Force and that's how I knew."

"So the Resistance has fallen," says Luke sadly. "I had hoped it would do well, especially with you leading them. You should take it as a compliment that it fell once you were relieved of command, Leia."

Leia chuckles. "I guess that's one way of looking at it, Luke. But I think he might have attacked to try and figure out your location, they're still after you and now, they might be after Rey. She was captured by them at one point, as I'm sure she told you."

"Yes, she mentioned something about that," says Luke, his eyes hard at the mention of his daughter's capture. "She also said that Ben offered to train her as his apprentice, an offer she obviously refused. Regardless, that shows he has some love left in his heart for us."

"You might be right," says Leia wearily. "Anyway, I suspect that Ben and the First Order will come for you soon, if they get the location. Luckily the only map is with R2 and he's here with you."

"That might not matter," says Luke slowly and Leia looks at him peculiarly. "Leia, when Ben killed my Jedi, he spared Rey and altered her memories completely; he hid her presence in the Force from me just like I did with the students initially. If he was that powerful at that age, then he could only have grown stronger since. He may have found a way of using the Force to extract information directly from someone's mind, willingly or not. I'm assuming that others were in the room when you saw the map?"

Leia nods and then looks worried. "I left my best officers at the base, the ones I trusted to see the map. I had been hoping to bring them over to my new rebellion but I guess that won't happen now. The First Order has probably killed them all."

"Don't lose hope, Leia," says Luke reassuringly, putting a hand on hers. "We've fought a war like this before and we won. Now that we know what we're up against, we should be alright."

"I hope so, Luke," says Leia, squeezing his hand. "We have you and we have Rey back, right now I'll consider that a major victory."

Luke smirks. "As would I."

* * *

Early the next morning, Rey wakes in her room, the sun barely rising outside of her window. She rises as she always does and stretches before heading over to the basin and pitcher, she washes her face in the clean water and when she is finished she uses the Force to dump the water out of the window. There is finality to this act that has never been there before; she knows this is the last morning she will spend at the temple, the next time she wakes up it will be on the _Falcon_ and then it will be on New Alderaan. It almost feels like she is leaving her home. She brushes and fixes her hair, making sure to bring the thin braid over her shoulder.

' _Are you sure this is right?' asked Rey, looking up at Nyrissa as she touched a thin braid on her shoulder._

 _The Jedi Knight nodded. 'Yes, you did it correctly. This is a big day for you, sweetling, you're finally a Jedi Padawan.'_

' _And then I'll be a Knight!' said Rey happily as she looked in the mirror. 'I can't wait to be a Knight, they have all sorts of adventures.'_

 _Nyrissa chuckled. 'Padawans can have adventures too, Rey, especially if they have daring Masters.'_

"You were daring, Nyrissa," whispers Rey as she touches the braid. "The way you took on Ben was proof enough. I'm sorry I wasn't able to live up to your example."

"I would disagree," says Leia as she enters the room, dressed for travel. "You're very daring, Rey, just look at all you did to get to this very moment."

Rey lets out a soft snort. "When you put it that way, I guess I was pretty daring." She then turns to face her aunt. "How do I look?"

Leia examines her niece's appearance with feigned scrutiny. "Like a Jedi and like a beautiful young woman." She looks at her sadly. "I didn't think I'd ever get to see you like this."

"Aunt Leia, it's alright," says Rey soothingly as she goes over and puts her hands on her aunt's shoulders. "What matters now is we're together again, you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened."

"I know, and I'm trying," sighs Leia. "I did come here with a reason, I didn't just barge in here to bother you."

"What is it?" asks Rey as she releases her aunt and goes to gather the things she had packed last night.

Leia reaches in to her pocket and extracts a necklace; she holds it carefully in her hands as if it is going to break with the slightest jostling. When Rey returns to her, she holds it out so she can see it. "This was your mother's," says Leia as she places the necklace in Rey's hand. "It was given to her by my mother when she came of age, it was a symbol to all of her status."

Rey looks at the small pendant, it consists of an upside down triangle with interlocking ovals. "Forgive my ignorance, but what does this symbol mean?"

"It's the crest of Alderaan," replies Leia with a touch of sadness in her voice. "I found it among her possessions when I was preparing her funeral and I didn't have the heart to bury it with her, just like your father couldn't stand to bury her with her wedding ring. We both wanted something that was hers we could touch."

"I didn't know that Dad has her wedding ring," says Rey as she puts the necklace on, the metal cold against her warm skin, she tucks it underneath her shirt for safekeeping.

"He didn't make it public knowledge," says Leia. "Han found one that was close enough to the original and that's what Evaan was buried with. We should probably get going, before your father comes looking for us."

"What was my mother like?" asks Rey as they head out of her room.

Leia laughs. "That's like asking me to describe the color of music. She was a brilliant pilot, skilled leader, craftier than most politicians, and had a heart the size of a sun. The day you were born, she told me that the love she felt for you was so great that it had spilled out of her heart and into her soul."

"I wish I could remember her," sighs Rey as they head towards the kitchen. "Dad's told me about her a few times, and I've seen so many holos, yet it doesn't feel like I know her at all. I wish I could go back and meet her, even for a moment."

"I'll tell you more about her when we get to New Alderaan," says Leia as they enter the kitchen where Luke and the others are already gathered, waiting.

"Tell her about who, Leia?" asks Luke and both women shrug.

"What's he talking about, Aunt Leia?" asks Rey with a wink.

Leia shakes her head. "No idea, Rey, I think being alone for so long has started to take its toll on your dear father."

Luke rolls his eyes. "Alright, I get it, it's a private conversation. Now, if you two are finished, I think we should head for the ship."

"Why the rush?" asks Leia wryly. "Don't you want to sit and have breakfast first?"

"We can eat on the ship," replies Luke, his voice strangely distant. "We need to hurry."

Rey then feels something too, something dark on the move. "What's coming here, Dad?"

"Danger," says Luke darkly and at once, they are all scrambling to leave the temple.

When they have their belongings, they go through the nearest door to the world outside; Rey can sense the danger even without knowing who or what it is, the air around them is still and what noise there is, it is minimal compared to normal levels. It is as if the world had stopped turning in preparation of what is headed their way.

Chewbacca, R2-D2, Connix, and Leia immediately head for the ship while Luke goes in a different direction towards the cluster of stone buildings on the cliff, the main entrance of the temple. Rey stops in her tracks and goes over to him, knowing full well what he is going to do.

"Get in the ship," instructs Luke sternly. "I have to go seal the temple and I can't do it from here."

"Let me go with you," insists Rey, the fear rising in her voice.

Luke shakes his head. "No, Rey." He cups her cheek. "It won't take me long, starshine, I'll be back before Chewie even has the engines warmed."

Rey puts her hand on his and squeezes it. "Dad, may the Force be with you."

"And with you, Rey," says Luke, leaning over to kiss her forehead before leaving for the entrance.

She watches him leave and with a heavy heart, heads for the _Falcon_.

Leia is standing on the gangplank looking out for the stragglers, then she sees Rey approaching but Luke is not with her, and she does not like the troubled expression on her niece's face. She says nothing as Rey walks up the plank, the two share a look that suggests they both are exasperated with Luke at this moment.

"Where's Luke?" asks Leia once Rey is onboard.

"He went to seal the temple," replies Rey as she drops her stuff in the nearest hold. "He said he'd be back soon though."

Leia shakes her head as she heads for the cockpit. "I swear that man has stardust for brains. Chewie, get this ship up and running, I want to leave the moment Luke is onboard."

Chewbacca growls back in response, he too sounding annoyed. Rey sits down in the nearby nook, mentally going over the different fighting styles and what made them unique; she figures Luke is probably going to quiz her the moment they are airborne, so she decides to spend the time preparing. As she sits there, a powerful feeling of anger and betrayal crashes over her like a rough wave, she can feel that it is primarily directed at her father. Rey _summons_ her lightsaber from her belt then leaves the nook and rushes down the gangplank before anyone can stop her.

* * *

Luke stands among the stone huts that disguise the main entrance to the first Jedi temple, and he recalls the first time he found this apparent village. It had taken him longer than he would ever admit to figure out that this was the location of the entrance; the stones had been sealed with the Light side of the Force and a true Light side user could only unseal them. Once he had determined that, based on hours of meditation and exploring the Force around the temple, it had been incredibly easy to reveal the entrance. Now he stands at it again, this time to seal it up against possible intruders.

Using the Force, he lifts up the stones around the entrance, spinning them in the air above before binding them together in a piece that will cover the entrance seamlessly. He _lowers_ it with a steady hand, the pieces going together without issue then he concentrates on the Force surrounding the village; he guides it to the entrance in thin ribbons, manipulating them so they fit in between the cracks in the stone. This was how the entrance was sealed when he arrived and this was how he was going to ensure it remained hidden. Replacing the seal over the main entrance will also seal the other ways inside of the temple as well. With the stones sealed together and the entrance once again protected, Luke begins walking in the direction of the _Falcon_.

Anger and betrayal slam against him like a shot from a blaster, it is strong and intense, he knows without searching the Force who is coming now. He begins running, trying to close the distance between himself and the ship when suddenly a dark ship enters the sky, aimed straight at the island he is on. Luke hopes that it is only one ship.

The ship begins descending directly in Luke's path and he can do nothing except stand there and watch. When it lands, Luke puts a hand on his lightsaber, he knows that whatever is on that ship is not an ally and he has to protect Rey and the others at all costs to give them a chance at escaping. The gangplank drops and down it comes at least a dozen stormtroopers, their blaster rifles primed and aimed squarely at him, the next person to come down sends a cold chill straight to Luke's bones.

The figure is cloaked completely in black, with obvious armor plating along his limbs and torso, Luke tries not to look directly at the helmet; the helmet is black as well with a headpiece that greatly resembles Darth Vader's, although it is thinner and runs closer to the faceplate of the mask. The faceplate is familiar, although there are slight changes to the silver design around the eyes.

"Luke Skywalker, at last," says Kylo Ren as he walks through the line of stormtroopers before coming to a halt just a few feet away from Luke. "You've changed a great deal in six years."

"Not as much as you have, Ben," counters Luke calmly as he stares at his nephew. "Why are you here?"

"That is not my name!" shouts Kylo, expecting Luke to flinch as his troops did when he yells at them but Luke remains calm. "And I'm here for you, Skywalker. My Master wants you and the girl to join the First Order."

"What girl are you referring to?" asks Luke although he knows full well whom he means.

Kylo chuckles darkly. "You can't really expect me to believe that you didn't feel an awakening in the Force not too long ago or have your powers been dulled from lack of use?"

Luke tries not to smirk, knowing it will only antagonize Kylo further. "Your Master must not think so if he's sending you all this way to retrieve me, Ben."

"True," says Kylo as he _summons_ his lightsaber from his belt. "Now, come with me quietly, Luke Skywalker and your friends will not be harmed."

"What makes you think there are others here?" asks Luke curiously, even though he knows that the _Falcon_ is not the subtlest of ships.

"I saw the ship," replies Kylo as he activates his lightsaber. "And I would know that ship among millions. I won't harm any of them if you come with me quietly and willingly."

Luke knows he has no choice now, even if he were to engage with Kylo, the stormtroopers are probably under orders to kill his friends should he attack their commander.

"Dad!" shouts Rey as she comes upon the scene, her lightsaber in hand, and she glares harshly when she sees Kylo and the stormtroopers. "What are you doing here, Ben?"

"The girl!" cries Kylo as he turns his attention to Rey. "Get her, get her now!"

The stormtroopers begin advancing on Rey's position and she stands there frozen, fear in her eyes as she looks to Luke for guidance.

"Rey!" shouts Luke before _pushing_ two of the nearest troopers away from her. "Get out of here! Run!"

Rey is torn between staying with her father and running away from the battle, but the look on his face tells her that she needs to listen to him on this. Reluctantly she begins running towards the _Falcon_ , tears burning her eyes. The troopers still standing continue chasing after her.

"My troopers will bring her back," says Kylo confidently as he turns back to Luke. "And you will pay for lying to me, Skywalker. You've been harboring the girl for some time now, haven't you? Teaching her your pathetic ways of using the Force."

"I was never harboring her, Ben," snarls Luke as he activates his lightsaber, he has to buy Rey and the others more time now that they have troopers on their tail. "You were the one who was hiding her from me, me and your Master."

Kylo activates his lightsaber as well. "It would have been better if you thought her dead, Skywalker, it would have saved you the pain of failing her again."

He charges at Luke and they lock blades, Luke throws him off and retreats a few steps before Kylo engages him again, swiping at him furiously. Luke easily blocks his attacks, he is not out to hurt Kylo only keep him busy until he sees the _Falcon_ in the sky.

* * *

"Chewie, stall the engines," says Leia as she leaves the cockpit suddenly realizing that something is terribly wrong. "I have to check on something."

She heads for the last place she saw Rey and curses when she does not see her sitting there, she then heads down the gangplank and observes the flat meadow they had landed on the night before. Leia scans the surrounding area, looking for any sign of Rey or Luke; she can sense that they are in great danger even though she does not see anything to indicate what or whom. Then she sees Rey running at top speed, panic and fear on her face, and then Leia understands why; at least a dozen stormtroopers are chasing after her, blasters firing and mercifully missing her but Leia knows it is just a matter of time before she is hit.

"Start taking off!" shouts Leia from the gangplank. "We've got troopers incoming."

Chewbacca roars in protest.

"Rey's on her way, I see her now, just do as I say!" order Leia and Chewbacca begins preparing for take off. "Rey! Hurry up!"

Rey nods and picks up the pace, the adrenaline in her system kicking in just as more blasts come from behind her. She watches as the Falcon begins to lift away from the surface and drift towards the edge of the nearby cliff, she understands immediately what her aunt's plan is and while she is not thrilled, Rey knows what she has to do. She can feel the troopers closing in and she keeps her eyes focused on the gangplank and her aunt, just as the gangplank moves away from the cliff, she jumps up as high as she can. The troopers behind her continue firing. The brief moments she is in the air feel like years as she uses the Force to bring herself closer to the plank, her hands connect with the edge and she can breathe again.

"Rey!" cries Leia as she leans down to help her niece onto the surface.

When she is standing, they both rush inside just as Chewbacca brings up the gangplank, the two of them then head for the cockpit; Leia stands behind Chewbacca and Rey leans against the nearest wall, exhausted from her escape.

"Get us to New Alderaan," instructs Leia before turning her attention to Rey. "What happened down there? Where's Luke?"

"Ben was there," wheezed Rey, her torso and legs aching from the running she had done. "I don't know why." It then hits her that Luke is not with them. "Dad, he has Dad! We have to go back for him!"

Leia puts a hand on Rey's shoulder. "He wouldn't want that, Rey, you know that." Her gaze wanders from her niece's face to her abdomen and she notices blood blossoming beneath the fabric of her clothes. "You've been hit!"

Rey looks down and when she sees the blood, she slides down the wall to her knees, the pain overwhelming her. Leia is at her side immediately, holding her head against her shoulder as she shouts for Connix and C-3P0.

Rey can feel something comforting in the Force, something that allows her to close her eyes and relax against the pain. "Dad," she whispers before falling into unconsciousness.


	8. Chapter 8

Leia watches with rapt attention as Rey's chest rises and falls in time with her breaths and as condensation forms on the plastic of the breathing mask. These serve as the only indications that Rey is still alive. She has been unconscious for several hours now and Leia is extremely worried that she is or was closer to death than they had realized when she was hit by the blaster round. To her, Rey no longer looked like a fierce Jedi but a small girl.

"Why didn't you come with us, Luke?" she wonders aloud. "Rey needs you."

"Your Highness, I've just received word that we've reached New Alderaan," says C-3P0 as he enters, coming over to her side. "You are needed in the cockpit to give the tower your clearance code."

Leia knows this but she does not want to leave Rey's side. "I can't leave her, Threepio, I have to stay here. You know my clearance code, so you can deliver it."

C-3P0 looks at Rey's unconscious form in the medical bunk beside Finn's. "You can't do anything more for her until we get to there. I'm sorry, Your Highness, but you must—"

"I must what?" interrupts Leia harshly. "Why is it when I have to do something, I _must_ do it? Why can't it ever be that I _want_ to do it or _need_ to do it? Why is everything I do out of obligation to someone else? I've spent my entire life catering to the whims of others and I can think of only two instances where I got exactly what I wanted because it was my choice, not someone else's and now both of those things are gone." She takes a shaky breath. "I'm done letting someone else dictate what I have to do, it's brought me nothing but pain." Leia glares up at C-3P0. "You are going to deliver that clearance code because I am choosing not to, I am choosing to stay here with my niece because should she wake up, I don't want her to think that anything right now is more important than her and her wellbeing."

Silence falls between them and C-3P0 slowly backs out of the room, she can tell that her words have hurt him deeply after all he is only doing what he was programmed to do. Still, it feels incredible to have finally said that, she has wanted to say that for a very long time now and while she knows she will have to apologize to the droid later, she is glad he did not insist on her returning to the cockpit. Finally she has the right to decide her own course of action back.

"Ma'am?" asks Connix as she enters, looking a little timid. "We've been given clearance to land on New Alderaan, we should be at the hangar shortly. They're very eager to see you."

Leia nods as she reaches out and holds Rey's hand it feels so cold compared to her own. "Thank you, Connix," she says softly. "Did you let them know to have two beds at the medcenter made up for Finn and Rey?"

Connix nods. "Yes, there will be a medical team waiting at the hangar for them." She glances at Rey. "Any improvement?"

"She's alive," says Leia with a halfhearted laugh. "More than I thought when she first fell to the ground. I was nearly convinced that the shot had killed her."

"The bacta patches seem to be doing well," offers Connix, trying to be optimistic about the situation.

"Yes, I suppose that is a blessing," concedes Leia, her eyes falling to the patch of white under the section of Rey's damaged clothes. "So far both of them are holding and doing what they're meant to, but I'll feel much better once we get her in a bacta tank. Maybe then she'll regain consciousness."

"Why did she lose consciousness?" asks Connix as she sits across from Leia.

"Threepio said it was due to blood loss," replies Leia, her eyes darting to Connix for a moment before returning to Rey. "And after looking around the _Falcon_ , I would say that's a fair conclusion. I didn't realize she had been bleeding when I helped her on board."

Connix gives her a small smile. "You can't blame yourself for this, ma'am. It tends to happen in a warzone. We're very lucky that she wasn't more severely injured."

"Yes, we are," says Leia just as the ship touches down and she stands up. "I guess we're here, let's go." She then leans down towards Rey. "I'll be right back, I'm going to get the medical team."

Satisfied that her niece would not feel abandoned, Leia heads to the gangplank with Connix although she barely makes it down before a very familiar face ambushes her in a tight embrace.

"Leia!" says Lando Calrissian as he crushes her against his chest. "It's been far too long, how the hell are you?"

Leia taps his back and he releases her, she takes a step back and smiles at him. His face might have a few more wrinkles and his hair might be a bit grayer than dark brown, but his electric smile is still the same after all these years. "I'm doing well, Lando, what about you?"

"I'm great," says Lando happily and he looks at Connix. "Well, well, I had heard a rumor that you were with the Resistance now, good to see you again Connix."

"And you, Viceroy Calrissian," says Connix with a sweet smile. "Is Her Majesty with you?"

Lando nods and then steps aside to reveal another familiar face.

"Winter!" exclaims Leia as she hurries to embrace her old friend. "It's been far too long."

"I agree," says Winter as she returns Leia's embrace, her delicate voice acting as a balm for Leia's battered soul. "We have much to discuss, my friend."

When they pull away, Leia nods. "On that we can agree." She looks at the medical staff nearby. "Head for the medcenter on the ship, you'll find two people there. One is in a coma and needs to be brought to you medcenter immediately and the other is in desperate need of a bacta tank."

The lead medical droid nods and they head onto the ship while Lando comes between Leia and Winter, putting an arm around each of them as they walk out of the hangar.

"I certainly didn't expect you two to be part of the welcoming committee," says Leia wryly as they head for a nearby carriage. "Don't you have work to do?"

Lando shakes his head. "When it comes to you and Han, work can wait. Where is he anyway?"

Leia feels a little guilty as she looks up at him. "I'm sorry, Lando, but Han's dead."

"What? Since when?" demands Lando as he stops walking and so do the women. "And why didn't you tell me he was sick? I would have come to say goodbye!"

"He wasn't sick," says Leia softly. "He was murdered."

Lando's face falls completely. "By who?"

"Ben," replies Leia and she can see the raw fury in Lando's eyes. "I would've told you sooner, but I wasn't sure how to get the message to you without it being intercepted."

"I understand," says Lando, his voice broken. "I just . . . I can't believe it. Han can't be dead, he just can't be. He survived so much, should have been dead so many times and . . . and this is how he dies? Murdered by his child. That's . . . that's just . . . wrong."

Leia nods. "I wish it weren't true myself, I still expect him to come flying back with presents and stories about all he's done while he was away." She glances back at the _Falcon_ , watching as Rey and Finn are offloaded, the droids and Chewbacca walking with them. "But the _Falcon_ 's here and he isn't."

Lando looks back at the ship and shakes his head. "Let's go, I'm sure you're exhausted from your trip and would like a nice meal."

"Just as long as you aren't cooking," teases Leia as she gets into the carriage alongside Winter and Lando sits up front with the driver.

"I haven't had to cook since I got this position," says Lando happily and they head for the palace in the distance.

* * *

The palace of New Alderaan is nothing like the true palace on Alderaan, it is maybe half the size and not as luxurious as the previous one had been when Leia was growing up, at least in her opinion. Still, she has to admit that it is much nicer than what the Naboo architects could have done to it. The cream colored surfaces and the red and silver details do bring back memories of her home, the architects from the Naboo had certainly done their best to recreate the original as much as they could without overshadowing their own too much. She can see a few flaws, likely intentional on the designer's part, but she can forgive them since they had done it out of a sense of duty rather than simple charity.

"They've done a great job with the palace," says Leia as they sit in the dining room.

It is a large room with columns on either side and large windows that let in plenty of natural light, tapestries of the Alderaan crest are hung at both ends of the room and Leia notices the natural crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. At the Alderaan palace there had been special glass orbs that could be turned on and off and adjusted to the right light setting, it dawns on Leia that Winter did not want an exact duplicate of the original. They are a new people on a new planet, it would be inappropriate to just copy.

"I agree," says Winter, adjusting the golden crown in her white hair just slightly. "The Naboo have amazing designers, I can see why they felt compelled to compete with Alderaan as far as culture goes. Although, I do think we have better fashion than they do."

She gestures at the pastel green dress she is wearing, which is the same color as the suit Lando is sporting and Leia feels incredibly out of place in her dark red gown.

Leia nods as she takes a sip of her wine. "So, how are the people doing, Winter?"

Winter smiles pleasantly. "The people are doing very well. Our population is nearing what we lost on Alderaan."

"How is that possible?" asks Leia curiously. "We barely had two hundred thousand survivors."

"A great many survivors now have very large families," replies Winter with a smile. "The average family has at least six children."

"Evaan and I certainly weren't doing our duty then," laughs Leia despite the twinge in her heart when she says Evaan's name. "We were both lucky to have one."

"I don't think it was due to lack of trying," teases Lando and Leia glares playfully at him. "Don't give me that look, Princess, I know that you and Han were always too busy to have a big family and Luke and Evaan . . . well, they didn't get a fair chance."

Winter looks down at her plate. "No, they didn't. It was a cruel twist of fate that she was taken at the peak of her happiness, I still miss her to this day."

"As do I," admits Leia just as the serving droids enter with their food. A droid places a covered plate in front of her and when it is opened, she is pleased to see a dish of seafood, the last time she had had seafood was when she went to Coruscant for a dinner with the Senator for Naboo. That had been almost ten years ago now.

"I remember this was your favorite dish," explains Winter as she cuts into her fish. "I hope I wasn't being presumptuous."

Leia shakes her head. "No, this is perfectly fine, Winter. It's been a very long time since I've had seafood. I am surprised though that your children aren't eating with us."

Winter smiles gently. "They'll be eating with us this evening, and I'm happy to tell you that Lando and I became grandparents not too long ago."

"That's wonderful news, Winter," says Leia happily. "Is it a boy or girl?"

"Twin girls," says Lando happily. "Their names are Alana and Ophelia. The sweetest little babies this side of the New Republic."

Winter chuckles warmly at her husband's remark. "Yes, but I'm afraid to say we're terribly biased."

"You have every right to be biased," laughs Leia. "I would be the same way if I had grandchildren." It suddenly hits her that it is unlikely she will ever have grandchildren; it serves as a very sobering reminder. "I think Luke has a better chance than I do."

Lando and Winter look at her curiously, as far as they knew Rey had been killed along with the others at Luke's academy.

"What aren't you telling us, Leia?" asks Lando suspiciously.

"Rey's alive," says Leia, unable to keep the delight out of her voice. "We found her."

Lando looks ready to leap from the table and mount a rescue. "Where is she?"

"In your medcenter," replies Leia with a bright smile.

"I thought she was dead," chokes Lando as he wipes away a stray tear. "Why did you tell us that she was dead, Leia? "

"We didn't know what had happened to her," says Leia honestly. "We never found a body but we couldn't physically find her either, so just in case the First Order was still looking for her, we said she died . . ." She takes a moment to compose herself as tears threaten to spill. "It wasn't an easy decision, Lando, and it devastated Luke to do it."

"I want to see her," says Lando sternly. "And I want to see Luke too."

"Luke's . . . Luke was captured by the First Order," says Leia and she lowers her head.

Lando slams a fist on the table. "Damn it! I thought he was in hiding. Is that where he's been all this time?"

Leia shakes her head. "No, he was captured just before we left Ahch-To, where he actually was. Rey was there too, training with him in order to become a Jedi. Apparently she's been in hiding because what I knew of her, she had been living on Jakku."

"Wait a second, hold on," says Lando as he levels a stern look at Leia. "This is getting a little confusing, start from the beginning."

"Yes, please do," implores Winter. "As eager as we are to see Rey again, we'd like to know exactly what's happened, starting with Luke's disappearance."

Leia nods and begins to recount as much of the story as she can. She goes over Luke's initial disappearance, filling in his destination as Ahch-To where the first Jedi temple is located and he left the map to his location in two places, one part was with R2-D2 and the other with an old friend. She then goes on to discuss what the Resistance was up to during this time and how Han had met up with Rey and her new friend Finn when they escaped the First Order troops on Jakku on the _Millennium Falcon_. Then the First Order somehow captured Rey and Han returned to the base to tell her about it and Finn engineered a daring rescue and plot to destroy the Starkiller Base. Finally, she ends with how Rey was able to reach Ahch-To and that is where Luke discovered her identity as his long lost daughter. She decides to gloss over her loss of position and the fact the New Republic is now hunting her and her family in order to control them during this conflict.

"Now Rey's injured in your medcenter, Finn's in a coma, Han was murdered, and Luke's now a prisoner of the First Order," she concludes in a single breath.

Winter and Lando are staring at her with mixed expressions of awe and shock; they both seem to be in a trance before Winter finally breaks it by clearing her throat.

"It certainly sounds like a harrowing ordeal," she says, giving Leia a sympathetic look. "I suppose all we can do is offer you our support against the First Order, what minimal we can provide."

Leia smiles appreciatively at her old friend. "I'll make sure to keep New Alderaan as neutral as possible, right now all I want is to speak with some old allies and have some hangar space for my squadrons should they ever arrive."

"You'll have both and more," says Lando solemnly. "I might have joined the last war a little late but I'm not about to make that mistake again. New Alderaan, for all intents and purposes, will appear to be neutral but we'll give you whatever aid you need from hangar space to pushing your political agendas. We'll do our best to help you in whatever capacity we can."

"You almost sound like a politician, Lando," says Leia with an amused grin. "Han would definitely be wondering why you've changed so much."

"There's more on the line now than just my own skin," says Lando as he glances at his wife who reaches over and takes his hand. "Han told me once that a fight means a whole lot more when you have a stake in it, I guess he was right."

"Yes, he certainly was," says Leia as she looks at the wedding band on her hand.

* * *

When the meal is finished, Leia is escorted by a protocol droid to her quarters where Connix is waiting for her with a very worried look on her face.

"What is it?" asks Leia as she goes into the closet to find some more comfortable clothes, eager to be out of this confining dress.

"I've heard word from Commander Dameron," she says timidly as Leia emerges with a pair of black pants and a maroon shirt.

' _Something must have happened,'_ Leia thinks as she heads behind the changing screen. "Well, what did he say?"

"He's on his way to New Alderaan, but . . ." stammers Connix apparently afraid of how Leia is going to react to this news.

"But what?" demands Leia, as she dresses barely able to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"But the New Republic knows," finishes Connix and Leia sighs heavily.

"Well, I knew we couldn't keep it a secret forever," says Leia somewhat forlornly. "I had been hoping to keep it a secret for a little longer but I guess even the New Republic is smart enough to notice two squadrons missing."

Connix manages a small laugh. "The good news is, more people might be flocking to your new rebel group, Poe said he's already spoken with some of the officers and they'll likely join up at some point. Apparently no one is overly fond of this new general."

Leia cannot help but smirk at that, glad to know that those she left behind are still loyal to her in some way at least. "I see," she says as she emerges dressed from behind the screen. "I guess that can't be helped. Anyway, if that's all, I'm going to the medcenter to check on Rey and Finn."

"I'll send Commander Dameron that way when he arrives," says Connix as Leia leaves the suite.

Once in the hallway, Leia heads in the general direction of the palace's main entrance, having watched the medical droids bring Rey and Finn in that way. She hopes they are close by and being treated well, as much as she trusts Winter she is still wary of Lando despite the number of years that have passed since his betrayal on Cloud City. When she enters the main hall she is hardly surprised to see some children running around with model ships and shouting loudly as they play, hardly paying her any mind as they enjoy their game. The sight warms her heart while at the same time serving as a bitter reminder of her failures, she remembers Ben playing with Lando and Winter's eldest children in a similar way. She has to will herself from seeing the dark haired child running with a happy smile on his face, while that is still how she sees her son, she does not want to reopen a barely sealed wound.

Steeling her resolve she continues on, using the Force to reach out and find where Rey is located, sensing her down a long hallway she hurries through it until she reaches a door. Opening it she sees Finn resting on a bed and a second door that leads to where, she assumes, the bacta tanks are located. She enters and heads directly for the second area, opening up that door, she sees Rey floating in a bacta tank, the medical droid at the station beside her as he monitors her vitals and current condition.

"How is she?" asks Leia as she closes the curtain behind her.

"Doing remarkably well," replies the droid. "Her injuries were severe, the shot went through her completely and could have pierced her lung had it been two inches higher."

"But she'll make a full recovery, right?" asks Leia nervously as she moves closer to the tank. "I don't want to explain to my brother that I couldn't protect his daughter."

The droid nods. "She'll be fine after an overnight stay in the tank. Then rest will be the next step in her recovery, rest and no more shots from blasters."

Leia gives the droid a humorless smile. "I think next time she'll be ready. And what about Finn?"

"He should be waking up soon," says the droid. "I'm not sure why, but one of his medications was actually keeping him in the coma. I removed it of course, and it should wear off in a matter of hours. If my calculations are correct, he should have been awake by now."

"I see," says Leia flatly, pressing her lips together in a thin line. "Will he be alright after waking up?"

"Yes, he'll make a full recovery," says the droid and he adjusts something concerning Rey's tank. "Your Highness, would you mind waiting someplace else? I understand your concern but your niece will be fine, I will alert you if something happens."

"Of course, thank you," she says and then departs the room, although reluctantly.

When she is back out in the main area of the medicenter she heads for Finn's bed, wondering who could have possibly wanted to keep Finn in a coma and why. She pulls up a nearby chair and sits down at his bedside, she does not even care if this is inappropriate, Finn has no family and his friends are indisposed so she will take up the duty of waiting for him to open his eyes. It is the least she can do for this young man, who risked so much for a cause he had only just come to understand.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Leia watches as Finn's eyes begin to move under his eyelids, she holds her breath as his eyes uncertainly flutter open. He blinks a few times, his eyes likely adjusting to the light, then he curls and uncurls his fingers as if testing whether or not they are still functional after all this time.

"Welcome back," says Leia softly and he turns to look at her.

"General Organa?" he asks and she nods. "What are you doing here? Where am I? What's happened?" His eyes suddenly go wide. "Rey!"

Finn moves to sit up and Leia rests a hand firmly on his chest, keeping him from sitting up.

"You need to lie still for a moment," says Leia sternly and he complies, although he still seems frantic. "Rey is fine, relatively speaking, during our escape from Ahch-To she was injured but she's healing in a bacta tank at the moment so don't worry. And we're on New Alderaan, at the palace. Some old friends of mine are hosting us until we can reestablish another base."

"Wait, what happened to the Resistance?" asks Finn, as he lies back down, thoroughly confused now. "And who are these friends of yours?"

"The Resistance has failed," she says as she removes her hand. "I was removed from my post as General of the Resistance and then the First Order attacked, likely to get the information regarding Luke's whereabouts. Your friend Poe is alive as well, he's on his way here with his two squadrons and will probably be in to visit you the moment he arrives."

Finn nods although he does not look completely reassured about the situation. "And who are your friends?"

"Queen Winter Calrissian and her husband Viceroy Lando Calrissian," replies Leia and he nods again. "Winter was a childhood friend of mine who survived the Disaster of Alderaan, she was then elected to be the new princess after I headed back to the Rebel Alliance. Lando is . . . an old friend of Han's. He met Winter not long after the war during the signing of the Galactic Concordance, they married not too long after that and just a few months after Ben was born, she had her first child as well." Leia shakes her head. "Sometimes I wonder if I was right to introduce them."

"It seems to have worked out, at least," says Finn apprehensively, desperately grasping for something to say that will keep his mind from going any faster than it already is. "So what happens now?"

Leia's mind races with possible answers, there are so many ways to interpret that question, especially given the circumstances they have found themselves in but she knows of only one certain answer. "I'm not really sure."


	9. Chapter 9

Darkness is all Luke can see, he feels a wall against his back, a chain wrapped around his body and his hands in shackles above his head. He remembers fighting Ben on Ahch-To, trying to buy Rey and the others some more time then something happened, he had felt his body go limp and his mind went as dark as the room he is in. Whatever had happened was why he is now in this predicament. He pulls on the shackles and flexes his hands discovering that the tops of the shackles are enclosed, probably to prevent him from using the Force to free himself, and they are bound securely to the wall behind him. He then tries to move his feet only to find that they are bound as well, locking him in this position.

"Grand Master Skywalker," says a sinister voice from within the darkness. "I have you at last."

Luke looks around him despite being unable to see, he _reaches_ out and senses the Dark side of the Force coming strongly from one direction, so he turns his head in that direction. The feeling intensifies and he feels a cold chill creep up his spine, he knows who is coming.

"Snoke," says Luke flatly. "I'm honored that you came all this way to see me."

"No, the honor is mine," says Snoke and then the room is flooded with green light.

For a moment, the sudden flash of light blinds Luke, but when his eyes adjust he sees Snoke holding his lightsaber. He looks at Snoke and recoils slightly at the sight, the creature is taller than him, his skin is waxy and pale even in this light, and his deformed face seems even further distorted.

"A perfectly balanced weapon," says Snoke as his dark eyes roam over the green plasma of the lightsaber. "You did well building it, I've never come across one quite like it. Not even Obi-Wan Kenobi's lightsaber was this well constructed."

Luke says nothing, he knows Snoke is just trying to provoke him.

"You have nothing to fear, Grand Master," says Snoke slowly as his eyes move to Luke's face. "I have no intention of killing you."

"Just keeping me prisoner," says Luke calmly, he recognizes the game Snoke is trying to play here. "You won't break me as you've done countless others."

Snoke's lips twist into a dark smirk. "It has come to my attention that you've been reunited with your beloved daughter. After all this time apart, I find it difficult to believe that you don't already miss her. Perhaps I should find her and bring her here to keep you company."

"Keep her out of this," snarls Luke darkly.

Snoke chuckles, the sound echoing through the room. "And I will, so long as you cooperate. I want you to join the First Order."

"Never," replies Luke, his blue eyes shining with determination.

"Very well then," says Snoke and he turns off the lightsaber.

Suddenly a blazing strip of yellow cuts through the air and hits his torso. Luke screams.

* * *

Rey bolts up, her pulse racing and heart hammering against her chest, she sucks in air like she has been denied it for several minutes. It takes her a moment to realize that she is not in the same dark room as her father but in a bright room on a soft bed; glancing down at herself she sees she is wearing a pale blue cotton short-sleeved shirt and she can feel she is wearing a pair of cotton pants. Then she feels the cool air against her hot skin and she realizes she is likely covered in sweat, the dream likely responsible.

She grips the silken blanket and shoves it away then moves to get out of bed, she stands and stretches, examining the rest of the room as she does; it is a decently sized room, with the bed resting against the center of the wall and a wardrobe across from her current position. She looks to her left and sees a vanity with three mirrors on it, and then she sees the source of the cool air she had felt before. There is an open door, the thin curtains billowing in the breeze and she heads for that immediately.

Stepping out of the door she emerges onto a balcony, the tile cool beneath her feet and she breathes in the fresh air, it does not smell salty like the air on Ahch-To that would come from the sea but it is a clean smell she likes all the same. She heads for the stone railing and looks out at the view, all around her there is a city, tall, bustling, and glistening in the sun. The breeze blows her loose hair and it is a welcome feeling. Being here seems familiar to her for some reason.

' _Wow! It's so big!' said Rey, barely seven years old as she stared out at the large city, clearly visible from the balcony of her father's room. 'Gatalenta doesn't have anything like this.'_

 _Luke chuckled warmly as he leaned against the railing, looking out at the city as well. 'No, it certainly doesn't. I'm sure by the time you're an adult, it'll be even bigger than this.'_

' _That's possible?!' exclaimed Rey, amazed and skeptical at the same time. 'How big do you think it'll get?'_

' _I'm not sure,' replied Luke with a shrug. 'Maybe it'll be like Coruscant and the city will take up the whole planet.'_

 _Rey nodded, she had heard of the place before and now that she had seen her first city, she knew how it was possible for something like it to swallow a planet. 'Would Mommy be happy with how big the city is?'_

 _A look of pain flashed across her father's face but she was too young to understand it completely. 'She would have been very happy, Rey,' he said softly. 'Very happy.'_

Rey's heart lurches at the memory, remembering how the conversation had not meant much to her at the time but it means a great now that she is older she understands things a little better. She knows that this place is exactly what her mother had wanted for her people after the planet of Alderaan had been destroyed and she had risked a great deal in order to get them here. It amuses her that the city is indeed bigger than it had been when she visited with her father all those years ago.

"I see that you're awake," says a voice and Rey whirls around, surprised to see a white haired young woman standing behind her. "I trust you slept well?"

"Fairly," replies Rey, her tone guarded. "Who are you?"

The woman seems momentarily surprised but she hides it well. "I am Crown Princess Dehleah Teral, née Calrissian of New Alderaan, daughter of Queen Winter Calrissian née Celchu and Viceroy Lando Calrissian, wife of Lord Rolan Teral. And who exactly are you?"

Rey can tell this woman does not think highly of her, especially by the way she answered the simple question, so she decides to answer in kind. "Padawan-learner Rey Organa Skywalker of Gatalenta, daughter of Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker and Commander Evaan Skywalker née Verlaine, niece of Princess Leia Organa Solo and General Han Solo."

"I see," says Dehleah in a slightly clipped tone. "I heard you were here with your aunt but I didn't believe it, last I heard you were dead, murdered by your cousin along with the rest of your father's Jedi academy."

"You heard wrong," says Rey, grinding her teeth a little, she really does not like this woman. "Why are you in my room?"

"I was told to check on you," Dehleah replies, rubbing the baby bump on her torso, which is carefully hidden by the lavender fabric of her dress. "Your aunt is concerned about your welfare."

Rey's eyes narrow at Dehleah. "Then she should've come herself. Why are you really here, Your Highness?" She manages not to sneer the last part.

"Well, I should take my leave," says Dehleah dismissively. "You'll find a change of clothes in the wardrobe and you're free to explore, I suppose."

Then Dehleah leaves the balcony and Rey stands there slightly dumbfounded and a little confused as to why that woman seemed so antagonistic despite this being their first meeting. Rey decides to brush it off, there are more important things to worry about than some princess with an attitude problem. Her biggest concern is finding and freeing her father from Snoke's clutches and she has no idea where to start.

* * *

Following Dehleah's advice, Rey decides to explore the palace after she changes into a column style cornflower blue dress, she is beginning to understand why her mother detested dresses so much; they are far too restrictive and hamper any kind of easy walking. While she walks through the palace, she sees a number of women wearing dresses similar to hers and she quickly deduces that it is the current style, even Dehleah had been wearing one. She tries to be discreet as she wanders, staying out of everyone's way as she looks for a quiet place to think, it is then that she sees an empty garden outside of the nearest window and she can think of no better place to meditate.

She hurries to the nearest door and heads into the bright sunshine, the warmth chasing away the coldness in her soul for just a moment as she goes towards the garden. When she arrives, she finds an empty patch of grass and sits down as she would to meditate, although she has to pull up the skirt of her dress so her legs are not as confined. Once she is in her meditation position, she closes her eyes and begins to breathe deeply and evenly, feeling the Force within her as she attempts to clear her mind. It is difficult for her today; her mind keeps wandering to her dream, vision, and to her father. His face seems to be seared into her eyes.

After a few unsuccessful attempts, she decides to quit thinking about something in nature that is relaxing; instead she thinks of the feel of her lightsaber in her hand and the thrill of wielding it, she imagines a pitcher of blue milk and how good it tastes after a long day in the heat, finally she imagines her favorite holo that her father showed her. That holo had been a family portrait, taken when she was very young and her mother was still alive. She sees her mother's beautiful face smiling at her, her father smiling like he would never smile again, their eyes focused on her before drifting to the squirming baby between them. Rey feels herself smiling a little, the image of her family filling her heart with peace and reassurance. Then it shifts, her baby self is now replaced with her current self, Luke is much older and looks as he does now, Evaan is still there looking about as old as Luke with silver in her hair and a few wrinkles on her face. Rey's heart constricts as she watches the three of them interact, her parents holding her and each other just like in the previous image. It is a beautiful image.

" _You can have this,"_ hisses a voice, it is cold and dark like her dream earlier. _"Join me and you can have your family back."_

Rey's eyes snap open and she finds herself alone, something she finds comforting and terrifying at the same time, she would have rather had one of the masters appear before her but they are probably with her father or do not want to bother with her.

"And why wouldn't I want to bother my granddaughter?" asks Anakin as he materializes in front of her.

She scowls at him. "Is it just a Skywalker trait to read other people's thoughts?"

Anakin shrugs. "It might be, we'll wait to confirm it once you've learned how. Now, you can't do that ever again, Rey."

Rey raises an eyebrow. "Can't ever do what again?"

"Use images you have attachments to when meditating," replies Anakin sternly. "The bond you have with those images can be exploited, and that voice that spoke to you was trying to tempt you into the Dark side by showing you a better image. One you might unconsciously be craving."

"I'm sorry," Rey murmurs as she looks away. "It's just . . . I was having trouble meditating, my mind wouldn't focus on anything except Dad's face and . . . I just wanted to think of something that reminded me of him."

Something strange touches her hand and she looks to see Anakin's hand on hers, she glances up and sees him smiling sadly at her.

"I know you miss him," says Anakin softly. "And it's very sweet of you to want to want to keep him in your thoughts, but you have to be careful. Snoke might use that against you like he did just now." A dark look crosses Anakin's eyes and for a split second they seem almost orange. "The fact Snoke has my son . . . and is trying to get to you . . . he will pay."

"Vengeance isn't the Jedi way," whispers Rey and Anakin's eyes become blue once again. "Do you know where Dad's being held?"

Anakin thinks for a moment then shakes his head as he pulls his hand away. "No, I don't, all I know is it's deeply rooted in the Dark side. He could be on Korriban or Mustafar, or any number of planets."

She frowns and draws her knees up under her chin, glancing up at the blue sky. "I wish I could speak to my father, tell him that I'm coming for him soon." Rey then looks at Anakin. "I know you're supposed to watch over me, but could you relay that message to either Yoda or Obi-Wan? I just . . . I don't want Dad to worry about me."

"He might have good reason to if you're being tempted," chides Anakin. "I would also advise that you don't meditate unless you need to, I know Luke told you that daily meditation is a good thing but given the circumstances you shouldn't unless it seems to be affecting your abilities with the Force. That'll be determined later of course, when you resume training."

Rey blinks in surprise. "Wait, what? Who's going to train me?"

"Me," replies Anakin with a slight smirk. "Considering you're still in the early stages of your training, it would be ludicrous to stop now; especially with the threat of the Dark side looming over you."

"I thought it was always looming," she counters with a smirk of her own.

Anakin rolls his eyes playfully. "According to the others it is, but given your current vulnerability, it may be stronger as it'll try to prey on your more base emotions."

"Are you going to teach me some actual techniques?" asks Rey curiously. "I mean, Dad's been teaching me the basics but I'm not sure they're actually useful."

"You're a tenacious one," chuckles Anakin warmly. "You remind me a little of my own Padawan."

Rey raises an eyebrow. "You had a Padawan?"

Anakin nods. "Yes, a young Togruta woman named Ahsoka Tano." He looks up at the sky. "She was a remarkable girl; loyal, fearless, and determined. She was talented of course and reveled in any opportunity to show off."

"I see why you two got along," teases Rey and Anakin laughs.

"Yes, well, the Council wasn't too happy about that," he says with a slightly somber expression. "They thought Ahsoka and I had grown too attached to each other, they voiced their opinion on that frequently but we hardly cared; she was the little sister I always wanted and I was the big brother she might not have wanted but always needed." He sighs heavily. "I wish I knew what happened to her, the last time I saw her . . . I wasn't myself."

Rey gives her grandfather a sad smile. "I'm sure she lived to cause trouble for the Empire, just like you would've in her place."

A thin smile graces Anakin's lips. "Maybe. Anyway, I'll tell you more about her later, right now, you have some company."

He points towards the palace and she turns to see Finn and Poe walking down the hall, C-3P0, R2-D2, and BB-8 walking behind them.

"Finn!" she shouts and scrambles to get up, sprinting towards him.

Finn starts for a moment then looks in the direction he heard his name, he sees Rey running out of the garden, he smiles and runs for the nearby stairs. "Rey!" shouts Finn as he runs for her, they then collide, clutching each other tightly. "Rey, I can't believe it!"

"What? You thought I was dead or something?" she laughs, trying to stem her tears.

"Well, sort of," says Finn a little sheepishly as they pull away enough to look at each other. "General Organa said you were in a bacta tank because of a blaster wound. She didn't tell me how bad it was but it must've been critical if you were in a tank that long."

Rey smiles sweetly. "I didn't even feel it when I woke up this morning. Thanks for being worried though, it's sweet." She glances over his shoulder and sees Poe watching them, something swims in his eyes, something unpleasant.

' _Is he jealous?'_ she wonders as she and Finn walk back arm-in-arm to where the pilot and droids are waiting.

"Miss Rey!" exclaims C-3P0 and he walks over to her. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you, Threepio," says Rey, patting the droid's slightly silver arm then she looks at Poe, his chocolate brown eyes warming when she smiles at him. "Hey flyboy, my aunt mentioned you'd be joining us, it's good to see another familiar face."

Poe smiles brightly as he moves to embrace her. "Glad you're still with us, Skywalker, I heard you took a blaster shot to the back."

Rey nods as they pull away. Through their many days shared at Finn's bedside, they had developed an easy and relaxed friendship; she had been completely surprised by how well they got along, she expected it to be difficult to become his friend but it was astoundingly simple. "Yeah, tends to be a hazard when running from stormtroopers."

Finn looks at Rey then back at Poe then back at Rey again. "What does he mean 'Skywalker'?!"

"Sorry Finn," says Rey with a wry grin. "I guess my aunt forgot to tell you, but Luke Skywalker's my father."

"Fa-Fa-Fa," stammers Finn as he leans against a nearby pillar. "Wh-Ho-?"

Rey has to bite her lip to keep from laughing at Finn's reaction, he looks so surprised that he could be knocked over with a feather. "He's my father," she repeats and he nods several times.

"Okay, I think I can work with that," he says at last and Poe has to cover his mouth to hide his amused smile. "And who's your aunt? Wait, don't tell me: General Organa."

"Actually yes," replies Rey and Finn looks like he is on the verge of fainting. "You seem so surprised, Finn. I took this news better than you have."

Finn recovers from the shock and offers her a sincere smile. "I'm sorry, it's just . . . when you think about it, it's pretty crazy that your family is one of the most influential in the galaxy."

Rey chuckles. "I guess when you look at it that way, it is pretty surprising. Of all the people I could be related to, it just had to be to the man who brought down the Empire."

"Almost like a fairy tale," suggests Poe and she nods.

"I guess it almost is," she agrees then looks at the small blue droid. "Oh, and I'm still sorry about taking your head off that one time, R2. Believe me, I'm a much better mechanic now than I was back then."

R2-D2 beeps skeptically and Rey balks in surprise.

"I am too!" she argues.

He makes a few noises in disagreement.

"Oh, just you wait until you need an upgrade!" snaps Rey in a huff. "Then we'll see who the better mechanic is."

BB-8 chirps in Rey's defense, earning a wide smile from the former scavenger.

"Miss Rey, I wouldn't mind if you worked on my circuits," offers C-3P0 kindly. "I believe I'm in need of a tune up, I haven't had one since Master Han and Chewbacca left."

Pain stabs through Rey's heart at the mention of her uncle's name but she smiles anyway. "Alright, Threepio, I'll give you a proper tune up after I see my aunt." She looks at the two men. "Do you have any idea where she is?"

Poe nods. "I believe she said she was meeting with the Viceroy in the Queen's office."

"Great," says Rey as they start walking towards the nearest entrance. "I just hope he's more agreeable than the princess I met earlier."

"I met her too," says Finn with a slightly wistful look. "She's beautiful."

Rey rolls her eyes and for a brief moment, catches Poe looking at her before he looks down at his droid. She feels butterflies fluttering in her stomach and she wills herself to look at anything else except Poe; her eyes, however, seem to have different ideas.

* * *

Leia reads over the tablet in her hand, making changes with her stylus as she goes while Connix speaks with several senators via hologram and Lando begins drafting up a list of supplies and instructing the palace servants about what they need to do to prepare. They are sitting at a round table in Winter's office, tablets scattered all over the surface, holoemitters mixed in as Connix cycles through them. All three are so absorbed in their tasks that the entrance of three young adults and two droids goes completely unnoticed.

"The Senator of Rodia says he might have to send his aide in his place," says Connix as she closes down one hologram. "And the Senator of Naboo is wondering if she can bring the Queen, apparently she is very eager to speak with you."

"That's fine," says Leia as she finishes with her first tablet and moves on to the next one, without looking up. "How are things on your end, Lando?"

"Going well, Princess," says Lando as he finishes the last of the tablets. Then he looks up and sees their new guests. "Leia, we've got company."

Leia glances up from her tablet and immediately puts it down, smiling brightly at her niece. "Rey, it's good to see you." She then stands and hurries over to where Rey is standing, quickly embracing her. "I'm sorry for the less than cheerful welcome, but we've been very busy since this morning."

Rey nods as they head over to the table where Connix and Lando are sitting. "What's going on? It's almost like you're planning a party."

"That's exactly what we're doing," says Leia as she sits down, Rey and the others sit in the empty seats between Connix and Lando. "I need to gather as many allies as I can before the New Republic can and this is the best way to do it."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" asks Rey skeptically. "I know we need the allies, but this party would be a great opportunity for someone to act against you."

Leia gives her a worn smile. "I've already assessed the risks, Rey, and it would be much worse to allow the First Order to go unchallenged much longer. If someone wants to strike against me then they are more than welcome to."

Poe leans forward in his seat. "It almost sounds like you're expecting an attack, General."

"I am and please stop calling me that," sighs Leia wearily. "I'm not a general anymore, I'm simply 'Leia' now and you'll be expected to address me as such." She then glances at Lando. "Oh and before I forget, Poe Dameron, Finn Gunner, this is Viceroy Lando Calrissian. Lando, these are my latest group of rebels."

Lando smiles at them, his eyes going immediately to Rey. "It's great to meet you all, Leia's told me so much about you already. Rey, I don't know if you remember me, but I—"

"Gave me the swoop bike for my tenth birthday," finishes Rey with a wry smile. "I remember that, Dad wasn't happy at all."

Lando laughs. "See? I knew you'd remember that. I told Luke and Han that kids always remember the people who give them outlandish presents." His smile falters at the mention of Han. "I'm sorry about your uncle, Rey. He was a good man and my best friend."

Leia gave Lando a reproachful look and he sighs.

"Leia, aren't you over what happened on Cloud City yet?" he asks, clearly exasperated.

"You sold us out to the Empire to save your own neck, Han was frozen in carbonite then given to that bounty hunter, Evaan was tortured to the point of near death and Luke nearly died after losing his hand," snaps Leia sharply, her eyes burning with fury. "So to answer your question, no, I'm not over what happened and I won't be for a very long time. Han might have forgiven you, but I'm not like him."

"That's for damn sure," mutters Lando and Leia pokes him in the arm with her stylus.

"Wait, why did he betray you?" asks Finn excitedly. "And who's this bounty hunter? I thought General Solo went undercover for a year after fleeing Hoth."

Poe nods. "That's what I was told too, I didn't realize he had been in carbonite. I was under the impression that practice died out years ago."

"And isn't Cloud City a mining company?" interjects Connix. "Since when is it a colony?"

"And what happened to my parents?" asks Rey curiously. "How did Dad lose his hand and why was Mom tortured?"

Leia looks at Lando who just grins.

"I guess we left a little too much out of the history books," he says, barely able to keep from laughing. "Who should tell it? Me or you?"

"Me, you embellish too much," replies Leia, her animosity towards Lando melting away slightly.

"But that makes for a better story!" argues Lando and Leia rolls her eyes.

"I would tell it," offers C-3P0. "But I was dismantled for most of it, so I can only recall being brought out of the cell."

Rey, Poe, Finn, and Connix look eagerly at Leia.

"Alright, alright," sighs Leia with a slight smile. "I guess the party planning can wait an hour or two."

The story takes the rest of the day.


	10. Chapter 10

"Rey, is this really necessary?" asks Finn nervously, he then glances at Poe who seems just as worried as he is. They are lying on their backs in the palace garden, both wearing a pilot's helmet, waiting for Rey to begin her Force practice. "Can't you just practice with the droids again?"

Rey shakes her head. "No, Finn, as I explained before there's a difference between moving organics and droids; an organic has more variables in the Force than a droid does, so I have to practice figuring those out."

Poe rolls his eyes. "I think your grandfather just wants to torment us."

"He's not wrong," says Anakin and Rey giggles.

"I heard that," retorts Poe and Anakin rolls his eyes.

"What did he say?" asks Finn, a little more panicked. "C'mon Poe, what did he say?"

"You don't want to know," replies Poe sternly and Finn's eyes go wide. "Rey, when are you going to teach Finn how to talk to your grandfather?"

Rey smiles a little sadly at Finn. "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way, Finn isn't as Force-sensitive as you are, so he wouldn't be able to learn. Actually, it's a surprise that you're able to hear him at all, Poe, it took me a while before I could figure it out."

Poe shrugs. "My instincts have always been above average."

"You could've been a Jedi, Poe," says Anakin encouragingly. "Instincts like yours aren't just a fluke of nature."

"Can we please get this over with?" asks Finn, his patience already thin from the anxiety of what is to come.

"Of course," says Rey as she looks down at her friends, C-3P0, R2-D2, and BB-8 waiting in the wings. "Threepio, R2, BB-8, you might want to move back a little."

The droids obey and move behind a nearby hedge.

"Now, close your eyes and clear your mind," says Anakin gently. "Feel the Force around you, inside you. You control the Force, Rey, you direct it where to go. Can you feel it?"

"Yes," replies Rey, her voice quiet.

Anakin smiles. "Good, now command it to do as you desire."

Rey opens her eyes and outstretches her hands, directing them at Finn and Poe. Taking a deep breath she focuses on _lifting_ them, finding them not as compliant as the droids had been but she continues trying regardless. Moments later she watches as they begin hovering above the ground, encouraged she raises her arms and they float higher, now they are almost five feet off of the ground.

"Whoa, this is crazy!" says Finn, panic and excitement lacing his voice.

Poe laughs. "I've never flown without a fighter before! This is great."

"Stay focused, Rey," says Anakin sternly when he sees her straining. "Don't—"

It is too late and she collapses to the ground, the two men then drop out of the air and onto the ground as well, although their landing is not nearly as nice as Rey's.

"And that's why we wore the helmets," groans Poe as he sits up and takes his off.

Finn does the same. "Yeah, a great piece of advice on the droid's part."

"You're very welcome, sir," says C-3P0 from behind the hedge.

"Rey, are you alright?" asks Poe a little worriedly when he sees her lying in the grass. "Do you need us to get a stretcher?"

"No, I'm fine," replies Rey wearily. "That just took more out of me than I thought it would." She pushes herself onto her back. "I need some water though."

C-3P0 rushes out from behind the hedge, hydropack in hand, towards Rey who sits up and eagerly takes it from the droid.

"Thanks, Threepio," she says before downing the contents of the pack.

"You're most welcome, Miss Rey," says C-3P0 fondly. "Is there anything else you require?"

Rey shakes her head. "Not at the moment, Threepio." She looks at her grandfather's ghost. "I'm pathetic, aren't I? I can _lift_ a bowl of water with no problem but I can't _levitate_ two men."

Anakin shakes her head. "No, you just need to practice. Inanimate objects are different from animate ones just as droids are different from organics. You do very well with inanimate objects and droids, but people are a completely different realm." She does not look convinced. "If it makes you feel any better, your father had a hard time learning this stuff too. He couldn't even keep rocks floating for a decent length of time at first."

"How do you know that?" asks Rey skeptically as she stands back up.

"Yoda and Obi-Wan told me," says Anakin. "Now, try it again."

Rey balks at him. "Again? I collapsed after just a few seconds, if I keep it up I won't be able to walk back to the palace."

Anakin shrugs. "Then you should learn how to prevent that by building up your stamina; practice is the only way you're going to make any significant progress."

"Were you always such a slave driver?" asks Rey and a shadow crosses Anakin's eyes but it is quickly gone.

"No, actually I was quite lenient with Ahsoka," replies Anakin then he smiles wickedly. "But with age and time, I've learned from my failings and am now implementing my new method of teaching with you."

Rey scowls. "Lucky me."

"Exactly," says Anakin lightly. "Now, tell the boys to lay back down and try again."

Poe puts his helmet on and lies down, Finn following his lead as Rey resumes her previous stance. She does exactly as before, feeling the Force around her and using herself as a means of controlling it, only this time she senses something different. She can feel the true power of the Force, how strong it really is around her and instead of applying as much as she did before she uses a little less and the two men immediately go up at least six feet in the air and she is still standing. Rey grins inwardly before trying to lift them higher, still applying the same amount of power, she watches them go another four feet before she feels herself weakening. Immediately she begins to lower them, not wanting to drop them from almost ten feet in the air, she brings them down to about three feet before she falls.

"Well done!" says Anakin brightly. "That was a huge improvement over your last try."

"I didn't last very long," says Rey, taking in deep, slow breaths. "But I did notice a difference this time, I could get a better result by limiting how much power I threw at them."

Anakin beams. "That's one of the first lessons the Masters teach. Throwing power behind something doesn't always mean you'll have the best result. I'm glad you learned that on your own, I didn't want to have to tell you that."

Rey cocks an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"It would've defeated the purpose of the lesson," replies Anakin simply and he glances at the two men still on the ground. "Want to work on _levitating_ organics with motion?"

Before she can answer, Connix comes running up, looking a little out of breath.

"Miss Skywalker, I'm sorry to interrupt," she says, glancing at the two men groaning on the ground. "Your aunt's asking for you."

"Alright, thank you, Connix," says Rey and she looks at Poe and Finn. "Do you need medical attention or can I just go?"

"Just go," wheezes Poe and Finn just nods. "We'll get up when we're ready. Just leave the droids."

Rey chuckles. "Fine, Threepio, R2, BB-8, stay with Finn and Poe until they're recovered."

"Yes, Miss Rey," says C-3P0, R2-D2 and BB-8 beep their agreement.

Rey smiles then together with Connix, she heads back inside the palace, wondering what her aunt could possibly want with her. These last few days, she had been so focused on her training that she had not spent much time with her aunt or her family's other friends, actually she was lucky to see Poe and Finn as often as she had; they were often in the hangar with the rest of Poe's pilots working on the squads' X-Wings. She desperately wanted to be with them, working on a ship she loved but she knew if she was going to save her father, it would be with her training not her mechanic skills.

When they enter Leia's room, they find her sitting at a table with tablets piled high on the surface, a stylus in her hand and one behind her ear, she looks exhausted but when she looks up and sees Rey she instantly smiles.

"Thanks for bringing her here, Connix," she says as she stands up and walks over to Rey. "You're dismissed for now, do try to do something fun."

Connix smiles sheepishly. "I guess it won't hurt me. See you later."

Leia smiles and then embraces Rey. "Sorry for interrupting your training, I was just going stir crazy and needed a break."

"I can completely understand that," laughs Rey as they pull apart. "What did you have in mind?"

"A tour of the city?" suggests Leia and Rey nods enthusiastically. "Good, now I believe there's a carriage waiting for us at the front entrance. We should probably get on it before it decides to leave without us."

"You've had this planned for a while," accuses Rey teasingly.

Leia says nothing but she does wink and it brings a smile to Rey's face.

* * *

"New Alderaan is so beautiful!" exclaims Rey as they head down the main street of the city, the carriage gliding smoothly over the surface. "I'm so glad I got the chance to visit."

They had just finished walking the Victory Garden, where they had a pleasant lunch consisting of ingredients grown in the garden and listened to some music played beautifully by the Melodic Order. After the performance, her aunt had introduced her to the band and when they heard she was the daughter of Evaan Verlaine, they all embraced her and said she was allowed to any of their performances on any planet free of charge. It was then that Leia explained that she and her mother had rescued the band from Naboo during the war, and Rey was astounded at the story. Her own father did not seem to even know the full story.

"As am I," says Leia, resting her head against the headrest. "During my career as a Senator, I tried to come back here as often as I could, and I would often bring Ben with me when things aligned. Han would meet up with us sometimes as well, whenever his schedule allowed for it, and we'd have a pleasant holiday where we could just be a family."

Rey looks over and sees tears in her aunt's eyes so she moves towards Leia and takes her hand, smiling sweetly. "What would you do?"

"Go to the beach mostly," replies Leia, wiping away a stray tear. "Ben and Han loved it there; Han had spent so much time in space, I think he had forgotten water existed and living on Hosnian Prime with me, Ben didn't see much water either. I taught them both how to swim, Han knew a little but I helped him refine it and Ben was like a little fish once he understood."

"I remember you teaching me a few times," says Rey quietly. "I was about six or seven when you started teaching me and I was very skeptical about actually being able to move in the water."

Leia chuckles warmly. "If your mother had lived, you would have known how to swim before you were three. She loved the water almost as much as I do and whenever she came to visit, she'd immediately go for the beach." There is a devilish glint in her eyes. "She taught your father how to swim."

Rey tries not to burst out laughing as she imagines her mother trying to keep her father afloat in knee-deep water, however she ultimately fails and her laughter causes a few heads to turn. "Really? Dad didn't know how to swim?"

"He's from Tattooine," says Leia a little defensively but her grin gives away her amusement. "The only water he saw came from his uncle's moisture farm."

"What was it like when you found out he was your brother?" asks Rey, she had been thinking about this since she recently recovered a memory of her aunt and father having a conversation about their different upbringings.

Leia smiles fondly and her dark chocolate eyes have a distant look to them. "It was bittersweet. I was thrilled to learn I had a brother and that he happened to be a very good friend, but he decided to tell me just before he turned himself over to Darth Vader."

"Oh," says Rey, holding her aunt's hand just a little tighter.

"Yes well, it ended up being the right thing in the end," says Leia lightly. "Luke seems to have always been able to see the good in people, something I've always admired about him. I seem to be the more cynical of the two of us, immediately jumping to the conclusion that a person is only doing something for their own gain and don't actually care about anyone else. Most of the time, I'm right but I've been wrong on one or two occasions."

Rey cocks an eyebrow. "About who?"

"Your uncle," replies Leia with a worn smile. "Your mother and I were both wrong about him but Luke somehow knew that deep down, Han cared."

Before Rey can speak again, the carriage stops outside of a large, white stone building with a bright blue roof that shines in the sun as if it were an ocean. Without another word, Leia leaves the carriage and Rey follows after her, wondering where they are and what they are going to be doing here. They head up a short flight of white stone stairs and enter through a pair of glass doors, Leia seems to know exactly where she is going so Rey just trails behind, glancing at the pieces of art on the wall and holos of various people she assumes are notable Alderaanians.

"How is your memory, Rey?" asks Leia suddenly and Rey starts for a moment before realizing that her aunt had spoken.

"Getting better," she replies, her hand unconsciously running over her head. "I haven't remembered much before the age of six but everything else seems to be more complete."

"What about your memories of your mother?" she presses as they pass through a white door.

Rey sighs. "I don't have any memories of her at all, Aunt Leia, just of looking at holos and hearing stories."

"I'm sorry to say I can't bring her back but maybe I can give you some more memories of her," says Leia gently as they enter into another room.

This room is about the same size as the front entrance of the palace, with natural light pouring in from the glass dome ceiling, there are more holos in here and a few displays. It takes a few moments for Rey to realize what exactly is on display and who is in some of the holos.

"Is this room dedicated to our family?" asks Rey when she sees a holo with her parents, aunt, uncle, and Chewbacca.

"I guess you could say that," replies Leia as she looks at the holo. It is of the day after the destruction of the first Death Star, when Luke, Han, and Chewbacca received their medals; she smiles a little as she stares at the holo, they all look so very young and happy. Her gaze drifts to Han's image, his signature smirk replaced by a warm smile, his chest puffed out as he waves at the crowd behind the imager. Her younger self is standing just behind him, a wide smile on her face, Leia notices that her eyes in the holo keep darting to Han and back again. "For a while, we were the first family of New Alderaan," she continues, her voice somewhat distant. "The people were so happy that two Alderaanians played a huge part in the downfall of the Empire."

Rey is watching her mother and father: Luke is smiling brightly and waving tentatively at the crowd although he seems a little overwhelmed by all of the attention, and Evaan has a calm, professional expression that is only broken when she looks at Luke then she cracks a lovely smile. "I can imagine, and it probably made them happier when one of the heroes married their princess and the other married her bodyguard."

Leia nods happily. "Indeed, although by the end of the war, Evaan wasn't really seen as my bodyguard; she was a revered commander known for her tactical brilliance and success in the field. I believe your parents' love story was the people's favorite. The last Jedi and Rebel commander falling in love and traversing the galaxy to restore order and peace was a story told and retold by many media outlets and people. Han made the story better by adding the fact Evaan and Luke thought the other was in love with someone else."

"Really? Who?" asks Rey, intrigued by this news.

"Luke thought Evaan was in love with Han," says Leia with a slight eye roll. "And Evaan thought Luke was in love with me."

"What sorted it out?" presses Rey.

"Bespin," replies Leia softly. "That planet was a turning point for all of us."

Rey nods. "From what you told me, it was a turning point in the war, too."

"Yes, well, that was a very long time ago," sighs Leia as she turns to Rey. "Why don't you look around? There are more holos than just this and some very interesting things on display."

Rey looks at her curiously before edging away from the holo and towards another one, this one depicting Evaan standing in front of her Y-Wing, helmet under her arm and saluting proudly. She smiles at her mother's image, she looks so serious and determined; Rey's eyes mist over as she realizes that she does share that same look with her mother. Hearing it from Luke was one thing but actually seeing the proof is something completely different and she wonders what else she might share with her mother.

"I do look like you," she whispers, barely holding back her tears.

She then moves on to a display case, it is just a little taller than she is and in it is her mother's orange flight suit, there are some gashes and poorly done repair jobs scattered across the material along with scorch marks and a few blaster holes. "Not in very good condition," she mumbles as she takes in the damaged suit.

"It's like that on purpose," says Leia, startling Rey a little. "Evaan was very proud of every scar she and her flight suit had. There was a story behind every single one of them." She points at the poor repair job on the upper left thigh. "She got that one when we were on Cymoon One. We were in an AT-AT that was crashing and during the evacuation your mother stayed behind and was nearly killed in the rubble. She came out with a broken leg and that tear, Luke was the one who fixed it."

"That's a pretty sad patch job," says Rey with a slight laugh.

Leia nods. "Yes, but his hands were shaking at the time and it seemed like he wasn't very focused on the job. When he was done, I offered to redo it but Evaan said no. I could never figure out why but my guess is it was special to her because Luke had done it."

Rey smirks. "It doesn't sound like my parents had typical romantic gestures."

"Not really," agrees Leia. "When Luke lost his hand and got the mechanical one, your mother spent weeks learning how to disassemble and reassemble the model he had been outfitted with. When she showed Luke she could do it, he picked her up and kissed her."

"How do you know that?" asks Rey curiously.

"Because he did it in the hangar," laughs Leia. "Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch, because up until then Luke and Evaan had been very private about their relationship."

Rey laughs because she can imagine her parents in that moment, so happy and then realizing that everyone is staring at them.

"That was Han's reaction exactly," says Leia as she wipes a tear away. "He laughed so hard he ended up on the ground. Evaan and Luke turned bright red and tried to hide their faces but then the whole hangar erupted with cheers so they just went with it."

"I never knew that," says Rey a little sadly. "From what I remember, Dad didn't talk much about his relationship with Mom, just about her in general."

Leia reaches over and squeezes her shoulder. "Your father was always a private person, and he might have just wanted to keep that to himself. Maybe he was waiting for you to get older before he told you about that aspect of his relationship with your mother."

"Maybe," says Rey as she moves to another display, this one contains her mother's helmet. It is black with a white visor piece and yellow accents. She notices the three 'V' symbols along the sides and the lone star shape. "Looks like Mom knew how to use her cannons."

"Yes, she certainly did," agrees Leia as she stands beside her and points to another case with another helmet. This one is almost completely white, a bit weathered with red and yellow accents, and there are more 'V' symbols along the side than her mother's. "This is your father's helmet."

"Really?" says Rey excitedly as she looks at it. She then remembers trying to put this same helmet on when she was escaping Gatalenta. "What's it doing here? I thought it was with his X-Wing."

A conspiratorial smile stretches across Leia's lips. "Well, technically both helmets and their flight suits are with their respective owner's spacecraft. These, like the ones that had been on Hosnian Prime and on Coruscant, are very well crafted replicas. I was a little curious to see if you would realize it or not."

"So this was a memory test?" asks Rey, feeling a little betrayed.

Leia shakes her head. "Not entirely, I wanted to bring you here and tell you about your parents before you were born. Because, as I'm sure you're well aware of by now, history isn't as accurate as people believe. And I wanted to spend some time with you, I have this feeling that free time isn't going to be something we'll have a lot of in the coming days."

Rey smiles kindly at her aunt. "Don't worry, I'm sure there'll be a lot of times to make memories like these."

"I'm sure you're right," says Leia and then she smirks wickedly. "So, has any dashing hero captured your attention, Rey?"

A light pink tinge graces Rey's cheeks and she smiles coyly. "Perhaps."

Leia laughs as Rey tries to cover her pink face.

* * *

Luke tenses, despite the darkness he can sense that someone is moving around in the never-ending gloom that surrounds him. "Who's there?" he calls out, his voice echoing through the room. There is no response except a steady set of footsteps approaching his position against the stone wall.

"Answer me!" he shouts angrily as the footsteps continue their advance. "I know you're out there, so answer me, Snoke!"

In response to his words, a glowlamp is lit but even with the dim light coming from it, he still does not see a face or even a body as the lamp seemingly floats towards him in the dark. He realizes that it is not Snoke but it still could be someone who works for him come to torture him once again. Luke has no idea how long he has been down here, his Masters and father are unable to reach him wherever he is, and without any windows he cannot tell when it is day and night. He knows that time is still passing, as his wounds from his torture sessions are healing, albeit very slowly and he wishes for a little more light so he can see where they are and maybe heal them. The glowlamp, however, is not a reassuring sight.

It continues to grow near him and when it is close enough he can feel the warmth coming from the device, making him realize just how cold he has been while in this dungeon. He closes his eyes and prepares for the sharp sting or painful burn from whatever device his tormentors have come with but none of that comes, instead a warm hand cups his cheek.

"Luke," says a painfully familiar female voice, a voice that makes Luke squeeze his eyes even tighter but this time against tears rather than pain. "Luke, please look at me."

"I can't," he whispers roughly, his throat tight.

"Why not?" asks the voice, one that has haunted his dreams and his nightmares.

"Because you're dead," he chokes out and the hand on his cheek begins to caress. "Please, just go away. I know you're not real, I know that you're dead, so please don't do this to me."

"If I were any of those things, how can I be here, touching you?" the voice presses as the hand continues to soothe the wounds on his face. "Luke, reach out to me, listen to the Force."

"No!" he says sharply, pulling his face away from the tender touch, his eyes still closed. "You're just another one of Snoke's ploys to try and get me to join the First Order. I won't be broken so easily! Now leave!"

He expects the hand on his cheek to fade away only instead he feels it slip away like a real person is pulling it away and then he hears footsteps echoing once again. When he no longer hears them, he rests his face against his bicep and quietly weeps, tears soaking into the soiled material of his tunic. His heart aches as he cries, he wants to believe that it was just a dream, a beautiful nightmare but he knows that it had been real. The voice, the gentle touch, the absolute feeling of belonging that made his soul sing and cry at the same time. Every single one of his senses is telling him the same thing, even the Force seems to be in agreement with everything his mind is opposing: Evaan is alive.


	11. Chapter 11

Poe takes off his worn brown leather jacket and puts it on a nearby rock, and then he removes his beige shirt, placing it just on top of his jacket. The afternoon sun feels good against his already sun kissed skin and he stretches towards the warm light before kicking off his boots and placing them by the rock his shirt and jacket are on.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Skywalker?" asks Poe as he glances at Rey, whom is removing her own top and shoes. "Hand to hand isn't something you can learn in a day."

"I know," says Rey as she adjusts her, thankfully, wide breast band. "I just figured it's a skill I should know, after all a lightsaber's only good if you can keep your hands on it."

Poe laughs. "You have a point. Alright, so do you know anything at all about fighting with your hands rather than a melee weapon or lightsaber?"

"Not much," admits Rey with a gruff sigh. "On Jakku it wasn't a smart idea to walk into a fight without some kind of weapon."

"I guess that makes sense," says Poe with a slight nod and then he gestures for Rey to join him in the center area of the garden.

Since arriving, the three of them had claimed the garden as their own personal spot; either it was where Rey was training or they were all sitting around talking about nothing in particular when they had the free time. Often it is just Rey, Poe, and BB-8, Finn had taken to sleeping in well into the morning and sometimes into the afternoon. Just like this afternoon. The little loyal droid had been left inside, as Poe thought he might not like seeing his two friends spar, even if it is just practice.

"Now, take up an aggressive pose," instructs Poe and Rey nods.

She takes up a pose with her legs spread out beyond shoulder width apart, her front knee bent and fists up in her face. Poe bites his lip against laughing outright and Rey scowls at him when she sees.

"What's so funny?" she demands. "I did exactly as you asked."

Poe nods, still fighting a smile. "That you did. Now, we're going to refine your pose."

"That's just a fancy way of saying this is wrong," retorts Rey with a slight snort.

"Look at it however you want," he says as he comes up behind her. "Now, bring your legs in closer together." He nudges her back foot and she brings it in to just at shoulder width, doing this moves her whole body so her legs are then evenly spaced apart. "Good, now you'll be able to move freely. Having such a wide stance would inhibit you being able to retreat or move quickly, hand to hand is all about fast movements in a close space."

Rey nods as she shifts a little on her feet, suddenly very aware of just how close Poe is standing to her; she can feel the heat coming from his body and she feels cold in comparison. His hands then rest on her bare shoulders, and she can feel the rough calluses on his palms and the comparably smoother ones on his fingers.

"You need to relax," says Poe, pushing slightly on her shoulders. "If you're this stiff during a fight, you'll wreck your body and you won't be able to react fast enough. Remember, in hand to hand, you have to be fast and as accurate as possible."

She tries to relax her body but having Poe's hands on her skin just seems to wind her up even more. Poe's hands then move down her arms, almost at a deliberately slow speed; they move down her upper arms, past her elbows and to her wrists. He then uses his hold to bring her arms in tighter to her body. All the while she is holding her breath and trying to relax as his chest presses flush against her back, warmth radiating from him into her; when she goes to turn to speak to him she finds her lips just a breath away from his stubble covered cheek. If he had turned his head at that precise moment, they would have kissed and she is not sure she would have been upset with that outcome.

' _Stop that!'_ she chides herself. _'Poe's your friend and you shouldn't have those feelings or thoughts for your friend. Now focus on this and nothing else!'_

Rey manages to release a tense breath just as Poe retreats back, his hands still on her upper arms but it is no longer a suffocating touch. She chances at glance at him and sees that his dark eyes are locked firmly on something that is not her.

"Alright, now that you have a better stance, we can get on with learning some basic techniques," says Poe, his tone a little terse before he moves away, his fingertips ghosting over her skin as he leaves and she suppresses a shudder. He then stands just a short distance beside her and takes up a pose similar to the one she is in. "We're going to take this slowly, and I mean very slowly. This is so you can get a feel for how you move while you're fighting without any chance of injuring yourself unintentionally. I'm going to teach you how to throw and how to block a punch."

Rey suppresses a sigh as once again she is learning something basic.

"If it goes well, we'll get faster," says Poe as if reading her mind and she furrows her brow. "And no, I wasn't reading your mind, I just know that look."

"How can you possibly know which look means what?" asks Rey with a slight grin.

"Because I'm more observant than you give me credit for," replies Poe, flashing her a toothy grin. "Now, watch what I do and try to copy it as best as you can."

He then takes a short step forward while extending his left fist before retreating back to his original position, he does the same move again and then Rey attempts to copy. She takes a slightly wider step forward and extends her left fist; her stance is a little wobbly as she retreats back to her first position.

"Not bad," he says, his eyes going over her form. "Remember, with your back foot, you need to stay on the ball of your foot so you can move around easily and don't overstep either way; if you move twelve inches forward then your back foot needs to come up twelve inches as well."

"Right," says Rey with a sharp nod as she brings her fists back up to position, her dominant right hand close to her ribcage and her left slightly extended.

"Try it again, this time move your feet the same distance," instructs Poe and he does the same strike again, making sure to emphasize his footwork.

Rey watches more closely than before and then copies his movements, this time when she retreats she is able to stand in position without moving over one way or another. She grins inwardly, glad that she has mastered that at least.

"Much better!" says Poe excitedly. "Now, let's try doing a combination move."

Poe then does as before, taking a small step and extending his left fist before retracting it back to its original position then extending his right fist as far as he did the right one while twisting his back foot forwards. When the motion is complete, he resumes his resting position with both fists back to where they had started. He looks over at Rey as she does the same move, his eyes unyielding as he watches her, as if trying to capture every single different movement. She does not do as well as she would have liked, she forgets to twist her back foot forwards when she goes into the second punch and when she redoes it, it does not feel completely natural.

"You need to move your hips a little more," he says and then he moves behind her. "Alright, go back to your original position." She does as he says and he moves his hands to her hips. "Now, do the move again."

Managing to keep her cheeks from turning a bright red color, she does the move again and as she goes to move her second foot, Poe twists her hips in time with her foot's movement and this time the action is much more fluid. His hands stay on her hips as she resumes her resting position.

"There you go," says Poe, his voice a little hoarse. "You're pretty good at this, Skywalker."

"Why do you keep calling me by my last name?" she asks, trying to divert attention away from the feeling of his fingertips brushing the skin above the waistline of her pants.

Poe shrugs. "I thought that, since you found out your last name, you'd like to hear more."

Rey feels herself blushing and she wants to cover her face but knows that would only make things worse. "Well thank you, but you can still call me 'Rey'."

"I'll keep that in mind," says Poe with a shy smile before moving away, back to where he had been standing before. "Alright, there's one more thing I'm going to teach you before we work on speed and strength."

"Sounds good," she says, cringing a little at how high her voice seems.

If Poe notices he says nothing, instead he begins moving again. This time once he has brought his right fist back to its original position, he then brings out his left fist but instead of a straight punch his elbow is bent, creating a hook.

"Here we can begin a bit of improvisation," says Poe, his left hook still extended. "This can be your fist or your elbow, depending on what you'd prefer. Just make sure you keep your arm level with your shoulders as you hook. Again, you'll need to move your hips to keep things flowing." He then retracts his left hook and throws a straight punch with his right fist. "And that last move will finish the combination. Go ahead and try it."

Rey nods and goes through the first two punches somewhat effortlessly, remembering to move her hips with the second punch, the spots where Poe had touched her skin still burning as a reminder. She brings up her left hook, keeping her arm level with her shoulders and making sure she moves her hips with her arm. Her right fist comes out after she brings in her left hook, her legs moving easily with her upper body. When she has finished, she looks to Poe who is watching her intently with a wide smile.

"You're a natural, Rey," he says proudly. "Now that you have the basics down, we can work on speed and how strongly you throw those punches. With me now."

He begins going through the movements again, this time a bit faster and Rey keeps up with him; each time they finish the four punches the speed increases during the next round until they are doing it so quickly that it no longer looks like a lesson but an actual practice. Once they are moving fast enough, Poe stops their practice in order to move in front of Rey but he does not take up the position from earlier. Instead he puts his forearms up in front of his face.

"I want you to aim for my arms," he says sternly and she cocks an eyebrow at him. "Don't worry about hurting me, I can take a punch or two."

She grins and begins doing as he instructed, throwing strength behind her punches along with speed, it takes her a couple of tries but she does make contact with Poe's arms. She falls into an easy pattern of moving quickly while punching Poe's arms; he continues to move around, challenging her to keep up with him and still put power behind her punches. Neither one realizes how long they have been doing this until Rey trips over her feet from exhaustion and lands in Poe's arms, which are bright red and covered in slightly purple bruises.

"We can stop now," he laughs as he looks down at her. "Damn, Rey. You wouldn't make a bad soldier."

Rey smiles. "I've never done something like that before. I thought people were crazy to fight with their hands."

"And I thought people were crazy to fight with plasma swords," teases Poe and she just rolls her eyes. "Maybe you can teach me how to wield a lightsaber?"

"Only if you promise to keep teaching me hand to hand," says Rey, a daring look in her eyes.

"Deal," says Poe and it is only then that they realize they are still holding onto each other.

She looks up and sees that his brown eyes have gone even darker, he is looking at her with a strange expression; she has seen him with a similar look when they discuss or look at his X-Wing. It seems to be a deep fondness, one that extends deeper than just a superficial appreciation.

"Rey," he says and her name has never sounded so attractive.

"Poe! Rey!" calls Finn suddenly as he comes crashing through the garden with BB-8 rolling up right beside him, he looks out of breath and a little irritated. When he sees his two friends, half dressed and in an intimate embrace, a look of hurt flashes across his eyes before he composes himself enough to speak. "General—Leia wants to see us, she has something important to discuss."

"Right," says Rey and Poe nods, the two of them disentangling from each other, both a little pink in the cheeks. "Tell her we'll be right there."

Finn nods and heads away from the garden, his shoulders slumped just a little and his walk does not have that same lighthearted step to it. The little orange and white droid's head swivels from Poe to Rey and back again several times before he asks them what they were doing.

"I was teaching Rey hand to hand combat," explains Poe, rubbing the back of his neck as he glances at Rey. "She's actually pretty good at it."

BB-8 chirps excitedly.

"Thanks, BB-8," says Rey pleasantly before looking at Poe. "I guess we should get ready to meet my aunt, it sounds like it's pretty important."

Poe nods again. "Right, well, I should probably shower then."

"You don't smell," Rey says without thinking and Poe laughs.

"Thanks, Skywalker, I appreciate the compliment," he says, shaking his hair and his previously limp dark curls effortlessly bounce back to life. "But I am pretty sweaty and I don't think you aunt would appreciate me showing up like this."

"I guess not," says Rey, chuckling nervously as she goes back to get her shirt and shoes, putting her shirt on despite her skin being sticky with drying sweat.

Poe simply gathers up his clothes and starts for the palace, his loyal droid at his side.

"Put on a shirt!" she calls, unable to keep herself from grinning.

He looks over his shoulder at her, a dazzling smile lighting up his face. "Why? Don't like what you see?"

"I'm afraid others might!" she replies and then realizes what she has just said.

"Don't worry, Skywalker," he says as he stops long enough to put on his jacket. "I'll only be topless for you!"

Rey shakes her head as she follows him, ignoring the way his words makes her heart beat faster.

* * *

When Rey is clean and wearing a new set of clothes, probably with a few more layers than she would have normally worn, she and R2-D2 head for her aunt's room. Along the way, a surprisingly well-dressed Poe and newly shined BB-8 join them, neither one saying a word but they share a concerned look that expresses their worry for Leia clearly; both understand the weight of this meeting, knowing that Leia would not have called it had it not been about something important. Just before they enter, Poe reaches over and squeezes her hand, and she gives him a quick smile as she opens the door.

"Glad to see you could join us," says a cold voice and Rey manages the monumental task of refraining from groaning when she sees Dehleah sitting in a high wing-backed chair.

Her parents are sitting on the sofa, Leia is leaning against the desk she had moved into her room the day after they arrived, and Finn is sitting on a pillowed stool with C-3P0 standing behind him. Silently Rey and Poe head for the only available spot to sit, which is on the love seat beside the sofa, their droids move to stand beside it.

"We had to make ourselves presentable," says Poe with an airy tone and Rey bites the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. "After all, it wouldn't do if we arrived in front of you and your parents sweaty and topless."

The look on Dehleah's face is almost enough to make Rey fall on the floor laughing, coupling that with Winter's aghast expression, Lando's discreet thumb's up, Finn's exaggerated eye roll, and Leia's wide eyes, it really is a miracle Rey has kept up her composure. Poe seems to be struggling similarly as he has two identical white knuckled fists pressed against his thighs.

"Regardless of why," says Leia, narrowing her eyes in their direction, although most of her subtle glare is directed at Poe, "I'm glad that you're both here. Now, it's been brought to my attention that there will be an assassination attempt made against me at the party."

Poe, Rey, and Finn look horrified at the announcement.

"No!" they all shout before leaping to their feet.

"Yes," says Leia calmly. "I wanted the three of you to be aware of the situation because I don't want any of you risking your lives to try and save mine."

Rey frowns. "What do you expect me to do, Aunt Leia? Stand by and let you be shot?"

Leia shakes her head. "No, I expect you to act appropriately. With the help of Lando and Connix, I have already put in place a few preventative measures. When it happens, I want the three of you to promise that you won't blindly run after the assassin or do anything that might put the others in danger."

Finn nods almost immediately. "I promise, Leia."

Poe seems to be seething with rage at this order but he nods stiffly, although he does not give a verbal reply.

Rey is at a complete loss. "Aunt Leia, you can't be—"

"I am serious, Rey," interrupts Leia sternly. "Promise me that you'll look after the guests and keep them safe, I already have people in place who will hunt down the assassin."

Still Rey seems unconvinced. "But—"

"Rey," says Leia with a slight sigh.

"I promise," says Rey, swallowing her argument. "But please, just let me protect you."

Dehleah lets out a rather ugly snort. "Protect your aunt? You couldn't protect Jawas from Tusken Raiders."

"Dehleah!" chides Lando and Winter, the two giving their eldest child a very reproving look.

The crown princess merely shrugs. "What? You know it's true, if she were a capable Jedi, then her father would be here rather than with the First Order."

Rey's chest becomes tight with anger and she has to keep from letting the words in her mind slip past her mouth. "My father told me to run."

"Yes, you're very good at running," says Dehleah scathingly. "You've run from every conflict that's ever arisen in your life. The massacre of the new Jedi Order, the Resistance, and now the First Order's attack against your father. How can you call yourself a Jedi when all you do is run away?"

"I haven't run from anything!" shouts Rey defensively. "I have fought as hard as I could in any situation I've been in and I've barely come out with my life sometimes!"

Dehleah rises gracefully from her chair and walks past where Rey is standing, giving her an icy glare that could rival the coldness of a Jakku night. "Explain that to Tyren."

She leaves moments later, the room falling into silence as the door slides shut. Rey's mind is reeling at the mention of her friend Tyren; he had been the last of her father's students she had spoken to the day of the massacre. Hearing his name spoken by Dehleah sends a flurry of questions through her mind and out of her mouth.

"What did she mean?" asks Rey, looking at Lando and Winter. "How did she know about Tyren?"

Winter looks to Lando who sighs heavily, the two of them now have slightly mournful expressions on their once happy faces.

"Tyren was Dehleah's twin brother," says Lando quietly, his wife taking his hand in hers and Rey notices it is shaking. "When Tyren was about six or seven, he demonstrated that he was Force-sensitive, so we called your father and he welcomed Tyren into his academy. At the time, he had only three or four other students, so he was very happy to have more." Lando stops to gather his composure. "Tyren was so happy to be at the academy, he wrote to us when he could and all he talked about was what he was accomplishing and how glad he was to be a Jedi." Tears begin rolling down Lando's cheeks, matching the ones that are freely spilling down Winter's face. "Then . . . then the massacre happened . . . we didn't know about it until a day or two later when your aunt and uncle showed up and told us what had happened. Dehleah was devastated when she was told, she had been in the process of writing him when she heard . . ."

Lando then breaks down completely and Winter takes over.

"A few days later, we received his final letter," continues Winter, her quiet voice sounding cracked. "He told us about how he was suspicious of Ben Solo and that he was going to be surprising Dehleah for their birthday with a visit. Of course, that never happened and she was even more heartbroken, as were the rest of us." She wipes a few tears away. "We thought you were dead, too, Rey. Leia and Han told us there were no survivors. Obviously that was incorrect, but we didn't find out until you arrived." Again she takes a moment to compose herself, " . . . And I think she blames Tyren's death on you, Rey."

' _That would explain the nasty welcome from her,'_ thinks Rey as she blinks away tears. "I'm sorry, Your Majesties. Tyren did speak of you all very often. He . . . he died bravely." She lowers her head just slightly. "The last act I know he performed was making sure I got into the temple." Rey remembers Tyren's last act with a soft smile. "He saved my life."

Lando stands up, tears still glistening against his dark skin, he comes over and pulls Rey into a tight embrace. "Thank you for telling us, Rey."

Rey returns the gesture, a little uneasy but she does not want to further upset her late friend's parents. Glancing over Lando's shoulder, she sees Winter being comforted by Leia, something that warms a part of her heart; despite what happened between their children, it is refreshing to see forgiveness rather than hatred and that their friendship seems to be intact. Winter looks over at her and smiles gently, nothing but reassurance and compassion in her warm blue eyes. Rey is relieved that Lando and Winter do not blame her for their son's death, now if only she could only convince Dehleah of the same.

* * *

Silence and darkness are what Luke has grown used to during his stay in Snoke's dungeon, with occasional breaks when his guards come in to torture him. Luke suspects that they are torturing him now for his defiance rather than to make him submit to their demands, and he simply takes it, as every moment they are focused on him is another they are not thinking about Rey or Leia. It pains him to be away from his family but he is doing this to protect them and give them a chance to come up with a plan.

"What are you thinking about?" asks Evaan from down at his feet, where she and her glowlamp are seated. Each time she comes in, she sits in the same spot.

"Nothing," he replies, his eyes closed and voice bitter. "Go away."

"Luke, I'm not going anywhere," says Evaan sternly.

"You're not real," says Luke, the words meaningless the moment they slip past his lips. "You're just a figment of the Force, being used by Snoke to manipulate me."

Silence falls between them again.

"Where's Rey?" asks Evaan after some time.

Luke is suspicious as to why the subject of Rey is being brought up. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" asks Evaan, a little note of panic in her voice. "She's with you, isn't she?"

"Have you seen her?" asks Luke and Evaan's silence answers his question.

"Where is she then?" Evaan presses.

"I don't know," Luke replies again. "I just hope wherever she is, she's safe and far away from Snoke and your First Order."

"I'm not with the First Order!" shouts Evaan, her voice echoing in the room. "How many times are you going to accuse me of being someone or something I'm not?"

"Until I believe you," says Luke flatly, even as he says it, he can hear the lie.

"Fine, be stubborn," she says with a huff and after another stretch of silence she lets out an airy chuckle. "You know, this is the most you've said to me in days."

"I'm probably losing my mind, or almost dead," he says indifferently. "Of course, talking to the dead isn't exactly out of the ordinary for me, so maybe it's neither of those."

"Luke, I'm not dead," insists Evaan and he can hear the desperation in her voice. "If you'd just listen to the Force—"

"It's lying!" he shouts and in his mind's eye he can almost see Evaan flinch. "It has to be."

"Why?" asks Evaan quietly. "Why does it have to be lying?"

Luke says nothing he just wants this to end.

"Fine," says Evaan and he can hear what sound like her moving to her feet and he can feel the warmth from the glowlamp shift away from his lower half. "I get it Luke, I do." Her voice wavers just slightly, like she is holding back tears. "I'm sorry for causing you so much pain, it was never my intention. I'll leave, just like you want, and I won't come back this time."

The sound of footsteps fills the room and with each one, Luke feels his heart crack until finally it shatters and tears run down his face.

"Evaan!" he shouts, her name a plea and a prayer, and the footsteps stop. "Evaan, please don't leave. Please come back! I can't do this again, I'm not . . . I'm not . . ." He trails off as emotion clots his voice.

The footsteps are now running, the warmth from the glowlamp returns before it retreats only to be replaced by body heat. Two hands cup his cheeks, wiping away his tears as best as they can and he feels them shaking.

"I'm here," says Evaan softly. "It's alright Luke, I'm here."

He is reminded of their escape from Bespin, when she had done something similar after they had recovered from their injuries and were reunited; she had been shaking then too as she wiped away his tears. "Don't leave," whispers Luke, not trusting himself to speak louder. "Don't leave me again."

"Open your eyes," says Evaan, also whispering and this time he does.

In the dim light from the glowlamp, he can see that the woman standing before him is not the woman he had seen twenty years ago. This woman has aged, with some wrinkles around her sparkling amber eyes and her lovely pink lips, and he can see silver shining in her long blonde hair. None of this matters to him as this is still the face of the woman he has loved since he was nineteen.

"I know, I'm not thirty anymore," she says with a watery chuckle. "I was quite shocked myself."

"You're beautiful," says Luke, conviction in his tone as he takes in the face of his wife. "You've always been beautiful."

Evaan blinks back tears just as Luke moves and kisses the inside of her hand. She takes the hint and standing on the tips of her toes, she claims his lips with hers and he kisses her back almost straightaway. It is warm and familiar, full of love and unspoken words that could fill volumes. Luke no longer cares about what his mind is telling him, he knows that the woman kissing him is Evaan, there is no way an image created by the Force could kiss him with such emotion nor evoke memories of kisses from his past. He remembers their first kiss on Tattooine as the binary suns set behind them, when they were reunited after Bespin both broken and stronger, before he left for Dagobah again and she asked him not to die, before and after he confronted the Emperor and he told her he loved her. More powerful memories come rushing forward, like the day they were married, the moment they found out they were expecting a baby, when Rey was born, and their last kiss before she died. Luke holds on to those memories and the feeling of her kissing him now, and he knows this will be one he remembers for years to come.


	12. Chapter 12

A dark energy penetrates the darkness around him and Luke knows immediately that Snoke has returned; it is the first time the creature has reared his ugly head since before Evaan returned. He has a sinking feeling that he will not like the reason why Snoke is once again here.

"Grand Master," says Snoke, his voice like a hiss before he ignites Luke's lightsaber, casting them both into a bright green light. "It has come to my attention that you've reunited with your wife; how wonderful."

His tone suggests to Luke that all of this has gone according to his plan.

"Why is she here?" asks Luke, voicing a question he had been unable to ask Evaan, in case her answer was not one he wanted to hear.

"I've been keeping her here for the last twenty years," replies Snoke, his gnarled features looking even more distorted with the sinister grin on his thin lips.

Luke barely manages to contain his surprise. "How? She died twenty years ago."

Snoke shakes his head. "No, foolish Jedi, she was not dead but in a death-like state. You and your family were simply too stupid to realize. You should be relieved that you buried her above ground rather than under, as she would have certainly perished."

"How do you know what state she was in, Snoke?" asks Luke with a slight snarl.

"I was the one who sent your wife her illness," says Snoke and Luke feels as if the wind has been knocked out of his lungs. "It was designed to affect those with a low midichlorian count, lower than a Jedi's that is, and I had hoped to infect your daughter as well but that didn't happen, of course."

"How did you infect her?" demands Luke. "And why would you do anything to her? She wasn't a threat to you or the First Order."

Snoke lets out a murky, throaty chuckle. "She was infected during one of her final check ups with her doctor, medical droids are incredibly easy to hack." He levels a triumphant smirk at Luke. "As for why I decided to infect her, it's simple, really; I had hoped to have you join the First Order in its infancy by dangling the cure to her disease in front of you. I knew you loved your wife enough to do anything to save her, so I had assumed you would do just about anything to save her life. It would seem I was wrong, you trusted her judgment regarding her decisions about her health over your own desire to save her."

Luke will never admit it to anyone but himself that Snoke hit the nail on the head with that assessment. While she was ill, he had trusted her to make the right decision about her health, mostly because she knew her body better than anyone but a little because he was too busy to concern himself. He had contemplated searching for a cure, as he desperately wanted Evaan to be well again, yet since she had not asked him to, he had decided against it; Evaan is not the kind of person to immediately ask for help and when she does, it means the situation has gotten worse. Looking back, she might not have asked because she had not wanted him to worry or fear that she was going to die.

"After she succumbed to her illness, I had hoped the grief would be enough to send you down the path I wanted," continues Snoke. "But again, I was wrong. You managed to pull yourself together and live on even without your wife. I did find it fascinating that you refused to visit her grave inside your own temple or tell your daughter that she was buried there. My spies told me that when the anniversary of her death was close, you would journey to New Alderaan and remember her there. You are an interesting man, Luke Skywalker."

Evaan told him once that if she died, her spirit would be with the Alderaanian people, so he would go to the planet to honor her memory and be closer to her. He feels a little bad for not telling Rey where her mother was buried but he had done it to keep her from dwelling on death as much as he does.

"I cured her of her illness once her body had been retrieved," resumes Snoke, his soulless eyes boring right into Luke. "She was then placed in a coma like state, where machines kept her alive until I decided she had a purpose. I allowed her to age as you did and kept her safe from most of my order, even Kylo did not know she was here."

"How kind of you," spits Luke, his chest tight with rage. "Did you wake her up just to torture me further? To show me how stupid I was?"

"In a sense," replies Snoke and then more light joins the room, revealing a bound and gagged Evaan sitting on the floor with two of Snoke's stormtroopers standing beside her, large glowlamps in their hands that they then place at their feet. Luke takes in the sight of his wife's neatly plaited hair wrapped around her head and the clean white shirt and tan pants she is wearing. It reminds him of execution garb.

Luke feels all of the color drain from his face and his heart pounds rapidly in his chest, finally understanding why Snoke allowed him to see Evaan again. The sadistic leader of the First Order is going to have his wife tortured until he finally breaks down and joins them.

"You seem to understand the gravity of this situation," says Snoke as he reaches over and places a long hand on Evaan's cheek, the latter recoils from his touch as if he is on fire. "I have finally figured out how to break you and you gave me the answer yourself." He then hands Luke's lightsaber to one of the men. "You have my permission to use this, if necessary."

The stormtrooper nods and deactivates it before putting it on his belt, right beside the plasma whip Luke is all too familiar with.

"Remove her gag," says Snoke to the other stormtrooper and he quickly complies.

"Luke!" cries Evaan when she is able. "Don't give in to them. I've survived much worse than this."

"Evaan," whispers Luke, the pain worsening in his chest as he watches one of the stormtroopers pull out his whip and activate it, the low humming reminiscent of an angry wasp echoes in the seemingly vast room.

Snoke begins walking away, his voice becoming distant the more he descends into the darkness. "Continue until he breaks, then bring him to me. You may begin."

The yellow whip cuts through the air and strikes Evaan's back, slicing open the white shirt, the wound it leaves cauterizes immediately but the pain of it tears through her body and she bends at the waist, her face almost touching the ground. There is little time for a reprieve as moments later the stormtrooper with Luke's lightsaber uses his whip to strike Evaan's exposed back, a muffled scream is the only sound she makes. In quick succession the stormtroopers strike Evaan, cutting up her back in a brutal fashion, with each hit, Luke can feel his resolve weakening just a little. Once her back is covered in ugly, sealed marks one of the soldiers kicks her in the side, pushing her over before using his foot to roll her over onto her back.

Evaan's face is contorted in a soundless scream, her eyes drift to Luke's and he can see that she has not given in to the pain but he is quickly crumbling. He watches helplessly as they begin whipping her again, this time across her torso and legs, and every snap of the whip strikes him just as deeply as it does her. Suddenly a pained scream escapes Evaan's throat and fills the room, matching the cries of Luke's heart as he watches her brutal torture. As much as he wants to look away, he cannot, knowing the stormtroopers will take it as a sign he is breaking and only increase Evaan's pain.

"Use the lightsaber," says the stormtrooper without the lightsaber. "Cut something off of her."

' _No,'_ thinks Luke as he watches in horror as the stormtrooper brings up his lightsaber and activates it. _'NO!'_ The Force then fills his being in a way he has never felt it before, it is almost tangible it is so powerful. In a place designed to prevent him from using the Force, one he can feel is immersed in the Dark side, he can feel it being overpowered by the power he is drawing. His love for Evaan and the desire to save her life seems to be the driving force behind this surge of power and he is only too happy to use it.

The stormtrooper brings the blade to Evaan's leg and raises the weapon, ready to strike but as he goes to bring it down he finds his hand held fast by an invisible force. Moments later he is screaming as the force holding his hand begins to crush the bones, the sound of a sickening crack resonates through the room and the soldier collapses, holding his arm gingerly. The other stormtrooper looks at Luke and raises his whip, when the plasma end suddenly wraps around his throat and effortlessly cuts off his head. The fallen lightsaber then rises and cuts off the head of the soldier clutching his arm, and then it flies to its master and slices the chains around his body and the bindings on his hands and feet. Luke collapses to the ground, his body aching and in pain from the endless torture and from staying in a constant position. Now that he can see properly, he uses the Force to heal his body to the point he can move without blinding agony. He then hears a groan and he scrambles to Evaan's side, gathering her into his arms and using his lightsaber to remove her bindings.

"Luke," she whispers, her voice weak. "You broke free."

"I'm so sorry, Evaan," he sobs, finding it difficult to control the welling of emotion that seems to be taking over. "I'm so sorry." He holds her gingerly, afraid of causing her more pain.

Evaan smiles gently. "What for?"

"Everything," says Luke, as he brings up his mechanical hand, caressing her cheek. "I should've looked for a cure when you were sick, I should've visited your grave, and I should've stopped them from hurting you."

"I forgive you," says Evaan leaning into his touch. "And I'm sorry for being so stubborn while I was sick. I shouldn't have gone that long without looking further into my disease. I feel like a total fool."

Luke gives her a watery smile. "I forgive you." He leans down and kisses her softly, using their connection as a way of transferring the Force to her, mending her burnt and torn flesh and easing her pain until he can no longer sense it. When they pull away, she looks up at him with clear eyes and a bright smile.

"Now that's a kiss," she says reaching up and running her fingers through his slightly matted hair. "If that's how Jedi normally heal people, then I see their clinics being a very popular place."

"It isn't, but I couldn't resist," he says lovingly as they ease themselves into a standing position, the two of them groaning slightly. "I think we're going to need a night in a bacta tank."

Evaan nods. "Absolutely, but first we need to get off this space station."

"We're on a space station?" asks Luke, a little incredulously and Evaan nods again. "I thought we might be on a planet."

"The space station is near something called a nexus," explains Evaan. "I heard some of the soldiers talking about how Snoke built this place where three nexus intersect, one said each planet was rooted in the Dark side."

Luke shakes his head. "That explains a great deal. Where did you hear all of this?"

Evaan grins wickedly. "In the hangar, when I was sneaking around trying to figure out the layout of the base. I was being kept in the medical bay and would be brought to you with some soldiers, so I knew some basics but that wasn't enough. I befriended one of the nurses looking after me, a woman whose boyfriend died during the civil war, and she helped me sneak in and out of my room and around the base. If someone caught us, she would just say I was going through physical therapy and needed to walk. She even managed to reprogram the head medical droid to say that was part of my recovery regimen."

"You always were good at making useful friends," says Luke as he looks at the soldiers at their feet. "I don't think your friend will save us this time, though. Snoke's expecting us brought to him in chains, ready to pledge our lives to the First Order."

Her eyes follow his and she sighs. "You know you're probably still too short to be a stormtrooper."

"Leia has such a big mouth," he mutters as he begins stripping one of the soldiers of his armor, Evaan does the same to the other soldier.

* * *

"Which way?" whispers Luke as they head down a long corridor. Luke had missed having Evaan's nearly flawless navigation skills at his disposal. Somehow they had managed to make it out of the brig where Luke had been held without raising any alarms and now they were en route to the hangar bay, where they hoped to find a shuttle or something that would aide in their escape.

"A left then two rights," replies Evaan just as quietly, neither wanting to draw attention to themselves as they pass another couple of stormtroopers, they nod at them and they nod back. "This is so bizarre."

Luke grins inside his helmet. "At least this time I can see through the visor. Last time I did this, I could barely see and relied on Han to guide me."

Evaan barely resists giggling. "I guess stormtroopers have gotten shorter over the past twenty years."

"You do remember that you're only an inch taller than me, right?" asks Luke a little indignantly.

"Yes, but what a difference an inch makes," retorts Evaan flatly and Luke is left sputtering with surprise.

They take a left when they reach the end of the hall, entering yet another corridor but this one has a few more stormtroopers and military personnel wandering around, a veritable minefield. Evaan and Luke walk calmly down the hall, their eyes trained straight ahead of them so as to blend in more seamlessly when suddenly a red-haired young man in a grey uniform flanked by two stormtroopers with black sashes running diagonally across their torsos comes up to them, a loathsome look on his already sour face.

"Where are you two headed?" he asks, his voice as tight and clipped as Tarkin's had been.

"Hangar bay," replies Luke, hoping it sounds convincing. "Assisting with shuttle maintenance."

The man regards Luke carefully before looking at Evaan, his cold blue eyes full of contempt before he nods at them both. "Fine, just make sure to be quick about it. We don't have time to deal with faulty shuttles."

He then storms through the gap between them, barely giving Evaan and Luke enough time to move before they are mowed down by his agitated stride. They watch his retreating back for a few moments before they turn back and start walking again.

"What was his problem?" asks Evaan softly.

"I'm not sure," replies Luke. "I couldn't read his thoughts, he's likely learned something from Snoke that prevents a Jedi from entering his mind. Probably to keep Kylo Ren from influencing or mentally breaking him."

Evaan glances at him. "I've heard about this 'Kylo Ren' from the nurse, who exactly is he?"

Luke is not entirely sure how to answer that question, it is not as cut and dry as it would seem to an outsider. "I'll explain about him later."

Evaan knows her husband is hiding something from her, something dark but she does not try to probe the issue further; she remembers the last time Luke hid a terrible truth from her, one that changed how she saw the most feared man in the galaxy, and she has a feeling this is similar. They reach the end of the hallway and take the first right, coming to a short area that ends abruptly so they take the next right and enter a space with a wall on one side and several large windows on the other. Glancing out of the windows they see the hangar bay, crawling with countless stormtroopers and regular soldiers as ships fly into and out of the large space.

"Our best bet is one of the troop carriers," says Evaan, pointing at a clunky looking grey ship, more like a box rather than a ship.

"At least it looks better than the _Falcon_ did," sighs Luke as they continue walking. "Imagine my surprise when I saw that piece of junk in even worse disrepair than when Han sold it. And worse, our daughter was flying it."

Evaan's eyes widen at this revelation. "Please tell me she wasn't alone."

"No, Chewie was with her," replies Luke. "Don't worry, I'll tell you all that I can when we get off this station."

"I'm going to hold you to that," says Evaan before they reach the sliding doors for the hangar bay. It slides open and they step through, heading for the least occupied looking carrier they can find, to their relief the one they locate is close to the exit but they still have to weave through an entire sea of enemies. Steeling their resolve, they begin the last leg of their journey, treading carefully through the many stormtroopers and acknowledging the officers that they pass by. Finally they reach the carrier and discover that it is completely deserted.

"It's a trap," declares Evaan when she sees it.

"You're right," agrees Luke as they look inside the carrier, slowly going up the ramp. "Regardless, we're here and should use it."

"Fine," huffs Evaan as she throws her blaster down on a nearby empty seat and removes her helmet. "You keep a look out and I'm going to deactivate the tracking device."

"How do you know there's a tracking device?" asks Luke as she passes by him, headed for the cockpit.

"There's always a tracking device," she replies as she enters and then he heads back down the ramp, taking point.

Luke stands at the end of the ramp, blaster heavy in his hand as he keeps a look out for anything or anyone suspicious. He would have much preferred having his lightsaber but it would have been too much of a giveaway, so he had hidden it in one of the compartments in the armor, not easily accessible but at least it was there. His eyes scan the room carefully as he tentatively _reaches_ out with the Force to see if anything sinister is headed in their direction; he tries to keep it contained to the hangar as he knows Snoke would find them instantly if he used any stronger variant. He feels a menacing presence marching towards the hangar and when he cannot breach the Force around it, he knows immediately who is coming.

Then the doors at the rear of the hangar bay open, revealing the red-haired officer from before, this time he has almost a dozen stormtroopers with him. He stands there for a moment, looking around the hangar, when his eyes rest on Luke they narrow and he signals at his men and they begin firing. Luke returns fire as he retreats backwards up the ramp, making sure not to trip on the way up.

"Evaan!" he says as he rushes into the cockpit, where he finds Evaan on her back under the console; most of her armor is scattered around the small area and she pushes herself out from under to glare up at him.

"What was that?" she asks, clearly annoyed. "Did your gun go off by accident?"

"That kid's on his way," says Luke and Evaan's eyes widen. "He's headed right for us."

"Kriff," she mutters as she stands up and glides easily into the pilot's seat. "Alright, I'm going to begin takeoff procedures, you need to man the rear cannon and get ready to fire."

"What about the tracking device?" asks Luke and when silence greets him, he gets understandably worried. "You couldn't find it?!"

"I was close!" says Evaan defensively, although her cheeks have turned pink, a sign she is completely mortified. "I did manage to put a block on all unnecessary functions, so that should buy us some time. We'll just have to make sure we don't head straight for our final destination once we get out of here."

Suddenly they hear a loud pounding of many footsteps and Luke turns around to see a shadow on the carrier's ramp. Neither one of them says a word, both sensing the danger.

"We know you're in there," says the man from before. "Come out and you'll be spared."

"Is this kid serious?" whispers Evaan, her voice so low that if Luke had not been standing right beside her, he would not have heard a thing. "He can't be any older than Ben and he's acting like a parent to a disobedient child."

Luke grins. "Perhaps we should show him what happens when disobedient Rebels get their hands on an enemy ship?"

Evaan smiles wickedly as she resumes her work at the console, preparing the ship for takeoff.

"If you don't come out then we're going to make you," says the man once again.

"Tell me son, what's your name?" calls Luke, his blaster pointed at the ramp as he eases his way to the cannon's containment area.

"General Armitage Hux," replies Hux, letting out a slightly amused lilt to his voice. "And I already know who you two are: Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker and Rebel Commander Evaan Verlaine."

"Skywalker!" shouts Evaan irritably and Luke chuckles.

"Rebel Commander Evaan _Skywalker_ ," amends Hux with a slight sneer. "Now, will you come voluntarily or will my soldiers have to bring you down?"

"I'm sorry, General Hux, but I'm afraid we can't do that," says Luke as he reaches out and puts a hand on the button that will open up the cannon's area.

"And why is that?" asks Hux, condescension dripping from every word.

Just then the carrier hums with life and the ramp begins to close as it lifts into the air, Luke uses the momentary confusion to slam the button and rush for the cannon, settling into it nicely before turning on the gun. He jerks the controls and is stunned when it handles so smoothly, unlike the cannons on the _Falcon_ , and when he turns on the targeting computer he rolls his eyes; these controls are much simpler than he had been expecting. He looks through the windscreen and sees the previously occupied stormtroopers watching them and General Hux and his men moving backwards away from the rear drive units, although a few of them are blown down. Hux's face is bright red as he barks orders at his men, Luke cannot hear what he is saying but when the troopers raise their weapons, he has a general idea. Luke does the same, yet rather than aiming at the troopers he aims at the hangar itself, blasting at the walls, cargo, and other nearby ships causing those around to have to run for cover. Including Hux, who pushes down his soldiers in order to get behind a nearby metal crate.

Luke laughs as he continues to let loose the cannon's fire, aiming for whatever is in his sights before the ship begins to move towards the exit. Then he hears a change in the engines, a subtle switch that those untrained would miss but he knows it well.

"Don't even think about it, Evaan!" he calls. "You can't go into hyperspace in a hangar!"

"Only if you don't take out the tractor beam around this hangar," replies Evaan.

"Evaan, you can't be serious!" he exclaims as the ship then moves so the rear of the ship is facing the exit, he knows what she wants him to do but he still thinks she is absolutely insane for what she is about to attempt. When Rey told him how she, Han, Chewbacca, and Finn had escaped Han's ship he had then proceeded to tell her all of the terrible things that could have happened and now he is rehashing that list again inside his head.

"I am, now take out those projectors!" she orders and he rolls his eyes, praying to every deity he can think of as he aims for the first of two projectors. He hits the first one easily enough, despite all of the gunfire going on around them, as he goes to aim at the second one his gun locks and he cannot move it.

"My gun's locked!" he calls as he tries to move it again.

"Kriffing hell!" shouts Evaan, he cannot hear the main gun firing and he realizes that she had turned it off in order to conserve power for the jump to hyperspace. "Can't you use the Force or something to crush it?"

"I could try," replies Luke and just then the ship lurches. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" says Evaan, her voice a little too high for normal, so he knows something went wrong. "Take care of that projector, Luke, or we're not going to make it out of here."

Luke nods and looks out at the projector, he sees it close to the exit and then he extends his hand; using what little of the Force is present, he _lifts_ up and the metal covering begins to tear. Increasing his power just slightly, he raises his hand and more of the projector comes away from the base until it is completely removed. With a slight smile he _throws_ it on a nearby group of troopers firing at them, watching with satisfaction as Hux scurries into view only to duck down again.

"It's down!" he calls and then the ship swings around violently.

"Hold on!" shouts Evaan and suddenly they are flying forward, past the exit and into the void of space, seconds later she activates the hyperdrive.


	13. Chapter 13

Rey sighs heavily as she observes herself in the mirror in her room, her attention focused on her floor length, heavy material dark blue dress; Leia informed her that dark blue is the Alderaanian color for mourning and since her uncle is dead, she is expected to wear this color to all formal occasions. She sighs again, this dress is hardly appropriate for fighting or running for that matter, and the flat shoes of matching color did not help. Her hair has been done by one of Winter's handmaidens, her usual three bun style replaced with a small bun in the center of the back of her skull, the rest of her hair cascading down her back reaching her hips. She had smiled when Leia told her that her mother's hair had been the same length at her age. Thin gold ribbons twisted in her hair including her Padawan braid, a sign of her nobility and status, and her mother's necklace shines proudly at the top of her sternum.

"I really hate dresses," she mutters as she twirls, trying to determine how much air needs to get under it so she can move freely.

"I think you look rather nice," says Anakin, materializing beside her. "And don't worry too much about not being able to move easily, your aunt and grandmother seemed to manage just fine when it came down to it."

Rey smiles just a little. "Thanks, Grandfather. If I had the choice, I'd wear one of those flowing dresses, at least that didn't weigh me down."

Anakin grins. "Remind me to tell you of the time Ahsoka wore royal slave garb during a mission to rescue Obi Wan."

Before she can reply, there is a knock at her door. With a resigned sigh, she heads over to the door, answering it to find Dehleah standing on the other side wearing a bright purple dress with copper ribbons woven through her white hair and sparkly copper makeup around her dark brown eyes.

"It's time," she says and is about to leave when Rey reaches out and grabs her wrist, an impulsive move but it cannot be taken back now.

"Dehleah, I'm sorry about Tyren," says Rey, her words a little rushed in case she lost her nerve. "I know you blame me and you're partially right, he risked his life to save mine and I'll always be grateful to him for that. But I know he risked his life to save his friends and his family, I'm sure he knew if Ben was allowed to live it would spell disaster for the rest of the galaxy, so he gave his life trying to stop the monster that is my cousin."

Dehleah seems surprised by her outburst but quickly recovers, scowling at Rey. "A lot of good that did, your cousin lived and is still terrorizing the galaxy. Tyren gave his life for nothing."

Rey grinds her teeth. "That's not true! If you say that, if you believe that, then his sacrifice means nothing. He died for nothing. Do you want that? Do you want your brother's death to have been for nothing? Because if you do, you don't only stain his memory but the memory of the others who died with him."

Silence falls between them, Rey's grip on Dehleah almost crushing as she tries to make sure the princess does not run away. With eyes blazing, she stares unblinkingly at the princess, whose head is lowered and free hand resting on her baby bump. Rey feels a little bad for what she said but she wants Dehleah to realize that her brother's death had meaning and that if she continues to blame others, she is disrespecting his memory.

"No," whispers Dehleah at last. "I want to believe that his death was for something, something more." She blinks back tears. "Your cousin . . . must be stopped. Tyren and the others died to reveal the threat of the First Order and I intend to do everything I can to ensure they are stopped." Her eyes meet Rey's; they are burning with a passionate fire that Rey is quickly associating with Alderaanians. "New Alderaan will not remain neutral when the time comes, I'll see to that myself; we'll help the New Republic and the Jedi Order, we won't allow the First Order to succeed."

Rey feels her heart swelling with pride, glad that she has gotten through to one of the most stubborn people she has ever met, and considering who is in her family that is certainly saying something. "Thank you, Dehleah, I'm sure Tyren is proud of your choice."

Dehleah shifts her hand so she is gripping Rey's. "I'm glad we got the chance to meet again, Rey, you're living proof that my brother was a hero at the end."

 _Mother and Father entered my room, their faces were somber and eyes red, I put down my stylus and looked up at them, curious as to what had happened. Father opened his mouth and I just knew it was about Tyren, I burst into tears and they were beside me in an instant. They did not say anything, instead just held me as I cried. When I calmed down enough I looked at the tablet I had been writing on, it was a letter to my brother telling him of my engagement. His final letter sits beside it as a reference, containing the news that he was now a Jedi Knight. I threw them both in the bin._

"Were you just in my mind?" asks Dehleah when she catches the distant look in Rey's eyes.

Rey immediately retracts her hand and looks at the ground. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. It happens sometimes, when a person is very emotional; I swear I wasn't prying."

Dehleah gives her an understanding smile. "Tyren did that all of the time when we were kids, he loved to freak people out by telling them exactly what they were thinking at the moment, and he didn't need to touch anyone."

"He irritated Jujun and Esten constantly," recalls Rey with a laugh. "He did it to everyone, but they were his favorites because they were constantly thinking about each other and he'd announce that to everyone at dinner or something. The only person he didn't do it to was Nyrissa, and I think that's because he was in love with her."

"You mean that loud, brash red haired woman?" asks Dehleah as they begin heading down the hall, Rey nods. "I remember meeting her the few times I actually went to see my brother at the Academy, she acted like she was your father's right hand man."

"In a way she was," says Rey with a slight shrug. "She was Dad's first youngling, so she held a special place in the Order. Had she lived and become a Master, with me as a Knight, it's possible the two of us would have been running the academy with him."

"Why not Tyren?" asks Dehleah, a little sharply.

"His place wasn't at the school," explains Rey carefully. "He enjoyed being out with the people too much to stay and teach, he was a good teacher but he preferred teaching with first hand experience."

At this, Dehleah smiles. "That does sound like Tyren, before he left, he was very concerned about the welfare of the people of New Alderaan and vowed to do anything he could to help them."

"But aren't you the heir?" asks Rey with a raised eyebrow and Dehleah nods.

"Yes, I'm the heir and Tyren would've been either a military man or a politician," replies Dehleah. "Honestly, I can't see him as being either; he probably would've been involved in humanitarian efforts more than anything. Our younger brother, Olos, is better suited for military life. He has already done incredible things with our military." Again she rubs her belly.

"Are you expecting a boy or girl?" asks Rey as she watches.

"A girl," replies Dehleah fondly. "She's due any day now, really. I feel bad that I don't have a name for her yet. There are so many, I'm not sure what to pick."

"And that's why it's been a pain to plan the christening," says a male voice and they see a dark haired, blue eyed man in a purple suit coming up to them. Rey recognizes him from the dinners she has attended with the royal family as Dehleah's husband, Rolan Teral. He comes up and takes Dehleah's hands, kissing her deeply before turning his attention to Rey, although he does not release Dehleah from his grip; Rey is surprised they do not have more children.

"Rolan, you remember Rey Skywalker, Leia's niece," says Dehleah politely, her eyes sparkling at her husband.

"Of course," replies Rolan bowing slightly to Rey. "I've seen you at dinner a few times, you sit with that pilot and your aunt, yes?"

Rey refrains from rolling her eyes or making a smart comment about how she is amazed he even knows that much when he leaves dinner almost as soon as getting there. "That's me," she says in a falsely cheerful tone. "Speaking of them, have you seen Poe and Aunt Leia?"

"I saw them not too long ago, they were headed for the Viceroy's office," replies Rolan before addressing his wife. "And your mother is looking for you, she has a few details she wants to speak with you about."

Dehleah nods then turns to Rey. "I'll see you at the party, Rey."

"Same to you," says Rey before turning down the nearest hall and heading for Lando's office, a little confused by the turn of events earlier. While she is glad that Dehleah no longer wants to blow her head off, she is a little skeptical about how quickly she agreed to help their cause; the more she thinks about it, the more she realizes how little she understands people and their motivations. _'I guess living on Jakku turned me cynical,'_ she thinks with a slight grin as she comes to Lando's door and knocks.

Moments later it opens and she sees Poe standing in the doorway wearing a grey formal uniform she had no idea the Resistance possessed, several medals gleam on his chest, his hair is slicked back and manageable, and he seems far more natural in his party outfit than Rey does. He smiles when he sees her, his eyes going over her as he takes in her appearance, probably lingering a bit too long on the slightly plunging neckline and she grows warm under his gaze. She allows herself to look at him as freely as he is looking at her, taking in the way his uniform jacket lays snugly on his shoulders and arms, not too tight but there is no mistaking the fact he is well built. His hair is the only thing she would change, she prefers it messy and to see it so well managed is disconcerting.

"Are you going to let her in or just stare, lover boy?" calls Lando and they both jump, Poe quickly opens the door enough for Rey to slide through easily, the two of them smiling sheepishly as they then join the others. Lando and Finn are standing by Lando's desk, the three droids that are normally with them are nowhere in sight.

"Wow, Rey! You look great!" exclaims Finn when he sees her, he too is dressed in a formal uniform almost identical to Poe's except he does not have as many medals as Poe; actually he only has one. "How do I look?"

"As devastating as a super nova, Commander Gunner," replies Rey with a slight giggle.

Finn's grin widens. "Thank you, Padawan-learner Skywalker. You look as pretty as a newly formed star."

"Damn kid, you're smooth," chuckles Lando, looking like a proud father. "Did the First Order teach you that?"

"No, Poe's holovids," replies Finn and Poe looks appropriately embarrassed, Rey just laughs.

"Nice to see everyone could make it," says Leia as she enters the room, she is wearing a more conservative version of Rey's dress, the same color and style but not as much skin is showing. She too has gold woven through her hair and is wearing a belt with a silver version of the Alderaanian medallion Rey is wearing. She smiles when she sees Rey and Rey smiles back, the two of them _reaching_ out to the other, using their bond to assuage each other's apprehension.

"You look lovely, Leia," says Lando with a slight bow. "I daresay the stars will be outshone tonight."

Leia cocks an eyebrow. "Trying to outdo Finn?"

Lando laughs. "Now Leia is that any way to accept a compliment?"

"Only if it isn't sincere," quips Leia and the rest of them laugh as Lando flounders to come up with a retort of his own. Leia smiles triumphantly before turning to the other three. "Remember what I told you: no unnecessary risks. When the assassin strikes, I am counting on the three of you to remain calm and take care of the guests, let the guards catch the assassin."

"Yes, General," replies Poe and Finn, Rey just nods, still uncomfortable with the plan of using her aunt as bait.

Leia looks kindly at her niece. "Rey, I'm not going to die, so please stop looking so miserable."

Rey gives her a feeble smile.

"Now, you three need to get down to the ballroom," says Leia a little stiffly. "Lando, Winter, and I will join you shortly."

"Where are the droids?" asks Poe.

"Threepio is overseeing the party, R2 and BB-8 are on their own adventure," replies Leia and Poe nods, although he does not seem all that pleased his droid is off on his own. "Hurry up and go, there's no such thing as fashionably late when politicians are involved."

Poe laughs and Finn smiles as they head for the door, Rey begins to follow them but stops and turns back, rushing towards Leia before throwing her arms around her shoulders, hugging her tightly. She knows she is probably being paranoid, that nothing will happen to her aunt but she cannot shake the feeling that something could go wrong. She remembers having a similar feeling when she saw Ben and Han standing on that bridge together, she just knew one of them would not be making it back alive. She never got the chance to tell her uncle how much he meant to her and how much she loved him before he died, she did not even get the chance with her mother, and she is not about to have that happen again. In this one embrace she tries to convey everything she has ever felt for her aunt, wanting her to know how important she has been to her and how much she loves her. When they pull away, Leia's eyes are misty and she seems a little less confident than usual, almost humbled.

"I love you, Rey," she says quietly.

"I love you, too, Aunt Leia," replies Rey before rushing for the door, she stops one last time to give her aunt a fleeting smile before leaving.

* * *

Down in the ballroom, Rey finds a colorful display of people that diminishes the bright colors of their wardrobe. Living on Jakku she saw plenty of species but in this ballroom she has counted almost eight times the number she interacted with before. She tries not to bump into anyone as she crosses the shining floor, looking for someone she knows just so she can escape the crowd, and then she sees Poe and Finn standing at a pillar just a few feet away from her. Finn spots her first, waving and smiling as she hurries towards them, relieved.

"Just in time, Rey," says Finn as he hands her a drink from a passing serving droid. "Your aunt hasn't arrived yet, neither have the Queen or Viceroy."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," says Rey as she sips on the drink, curling her lips at the sweetness of the wine. "This is more sugar than alcohol."

"I think that's the point," laughs Poe when he sees her face. "Don't want everyone getting too drunk before the party really starts."

Rey cocks an eyebrow. "You mean this isn't the actual party?"

Poe shakes his head. "Hardly, this is just a time to mingle and assess the crowd, like reconnaissance. The top politicians stick to their circles and send their assistants to figure out who's here and what the potential agendas are." He takes a sip of his drink and barely grimaces. "Makes me glad I'm a pilot."

"And me a Jedi," agrees Rey as she watches a Rodian speak with several humans and she wonders where they are from. If she could actually hear the conversation instead of just the general hum of voices mingling together, she might hear their accents and discern their locations. Growing up around people from so many different places instilled in her the skill of recognizing accents, her favorite is the one from Coruscant; Nyrissa had a heavy Coruscant accent and she picked it up, she still retained it even after her memories were changed but now she has noticed she speaks like her father on occasion. Her aunt speaks with an accent when addressing politicians and other important figures, and she wonders if she will do that tonight.

"What are you thinking about?" asks Poe, bringing her from her thoughts. His brown eyes are sparkling as he looks at her.

Rey looks over at him, blushing despite herself. "I was wondering where those humans are from." She points at the group she has been watching.

Poe looks over at them as well then back at Rey. "Let's go find out."

Before Rey can formulate a protest, Poe takes her hand and they head over to the group. The people part enough to accept them into their group, although they seem incredibly wary of their presence and not as welcoming as one might have thought.

"Good evening," says Poe, his voice a bit more refined than she has ever heard it. "Allow me to introduce Padawan-learner Rey Skywalker, Princess Leia's niece."

Some of the group smiles at her but they are all still regarding her with stony expressions.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," says Rey, her voice a little shaky but she manages a smile.

"And you, Miss Skywalker," says the Rodian, inclining his head. "I am Ganigo Farr, assistant to the representative of Rodia."

' _Poe was right,'_ she thinks as she smiles wider at Ganigo. "How are things on Rodia?"

"They are well," replies Ganigo, his tone pleasant. "Forgive me, but where are you from, Miss Skywalker?"

"Gatalenta," replies Rey, tightening her grip on Poe's hand.

"Are you related to Jedi Grand Master Skywalker?" asks one of the female humans, her false Coruscantian accent ringing out. Many heads turn in Rey's direction.

Rey is very tempted to just turn away, after all these people are not really interested in her just her father, but instead of leaving she holds her ground standing there proudly. "Yes, he's my father."

"I knew it!" exclaims the woman, almost jumping in the air before remembering where she is and composing herself. "Sorry, excuse my outburst."

"It's fine," says Rey, biting her lip to keep from laughing, she notices Poe doing the same. "My last name isn't really that common so you were right in assuming we're related."

"I believe I met you when I was an intern," says the woman assuredly. "Yes, I distinctly remember Grand Master Skywalker coming to Coruscant with a young girl. You two caused quite the stir with your appearance at the Senate."

Rey is about to reply when she sees three people appear on the landing above them and that seems to be Poe's cue to move Rey back to where they had been standing earlier. She is incredibly relieved to be done with that nightmare and is ready to murder Poe for taking her over there in the first place.

"I hate you," she mutters and he just smiles. "Why would you do that to me? Those people are such liars; I was never at the Senate with my father, I only went to Coruscant once and stayed with my uncle for most of it."

"It's all part of this life, Skywalker," says Poe lightly. "Besides, you did really well holding your own with those moof-milkers."

Rey barely keeps from laughing as they join Finn, she is surprised to see Chewbacca standing beside him, since their arrival he had taken to living in the _Falcon_ and very rarely ventured further than the hangar. When Rey visited the hangar, she tried to keep him company but he did not seem to want any, instead he just went about making repairs to the ship and she helped sometimes although she mainly left him alone. She had a feeling this was his way of grieving.

"Hey Chewie," she says and the Wookiee makes a noise of greeting. "How's the _Falcon_?"

He makes a series of growls and chirps.

"Maybe I can help you," she suggests and he just shrugs. Rey knows not to push the issue.

"Ladies and gentlemen," says Leia, her voice echoing in the large room, bringing everything to a standstill as everyone turns to look up at her, Winter, and Lando; the monarchs are wearing matching white royal dress, Winter looks like her namesake with silver ribbons gleaming in her snow white hair pulling the image together and Lando looks almost angelic in his tailor made suit. "Thank you for coming this evening, it is an honor to have so many esteemed guests here to honor my late husband, General Han Solo." She pauses and seems appropriately mournful. "Queen Winter and Viceroy Lando Calrissian have been kind enough to set up a memorial for him in the mausoleum here in Aldera. In a moment, you will all be given a cloak and we will make the journey there where we can mourn him together."

The moment she finishes speaking, gold and silver protocol droids appear with dark blue cloaks draped on their arms and they begin distributing them to the politicians. C-3P0 is the one who comes up to Rey, Poe, and Finn with a cloak for each of them.

"Here you are, Miss Rey," says C-3P0 as he hands her a cloak.

"Thank you, Threepio," she says as she throws the cloak over her shoulders, a little curious as to why her aunt neglected to tell them they were going to be traveling to the mausoleum. She thought this was going to be a party, not a funeral.

"I hope Leia knows what she's doing," mutters Poe as he finishes fastening his cloak. "Being out in the open like that is the perfect opportunity for an assassination attempt."

Rey frowns sharply, suddenly understanding her aunt's plan. She is going to lure the assassin out into the open with a golden opportunity.

* * *

"Find it yet?" asks Luke from the co-pilot's seat as Evaan comes out from under the console looking slightly disheveled.

Evaan lets out a slight groan as she stretches; her body sore from all it had gone through that day. "I did, it was disguised as part of the navacomputer but it seemed off and when I took it apart, I realized what it was. I checked a few other systems and couldn't find anything out of the ordinary, so there must be only the one tracking device." She reaches behind her and picks up the tracking device, tossing it to Luke. "They've gotten smarter, but not by much."

Luke nods as he examines the small piece of hardware. "It's a good thing we stopped when we did then, otherwise we'd be headed to New Alderaan with the First Order's fleet following us."

After their escape, they had flown to an area four systems away from New Alderaan, this spot happened to be a few systems away from other friendly planets as well. He and Evaan had been intentional in this as until they disabled the tracking device, they knew the First Order would be following their movements; doing this ensured they would be unable to know which system they were going to once the device was deactivated.

"We're just lucky the First Order fleet isn't here now," says Evaan as she moves to sit in the pilot's seat. "It seems like they pulled one of the oldest tricks in the book, letting us escape in hopes of finding the location of our friends."

Luke lets out a short laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like an old trick."

"Alright, tell me about Kylo Ren," she says and his expression falls to a grimace. "Who is he, Luke? From what I've heard, he's like a young Vader."

"I guess that's the best way to describe it," he replies, his attention fixed solely on the tracking device in his hands. "Kylo Ren is . . . was . . . is our nephew, Ben Solo."

The words hit Evaan like an avalanche, her expression changes from shock, to bewilderment, to anger, before settling on calm outrage. "I always knew there was something off about him, he was far too reserved as a child. How are Han and Leia handling this?"

"They handled it as well as they could," says Luke, dreading what he has to tell her next. "Evaan, Han's dead."

"What?" says Evaan, her voice slightly strained, and now looking completely shattered. "What do you mean he's dead?"

Luke takes a deep breath, trying to find a way to tell her that is a little more tactful, but ultimately decides to just tell her plainly. "Ben murdered him. From what Rey told me, Han was trying to bring Ben to the Light side when Ben he ran him through with his lightsaber."

Evaan is in shock, of all the things Han has been through, of all the scrapes he has gotten into, she cannot believe that his own son was who ultimately killed him. Years ago she would have thought the Hutt family or another gang would have been the ones to do him in, after a long and incredible fight, but this is worse. So much worse.

"Stars," she mutters, her fingers lightly over her mouth. "I can't even imagine . . . poor Leia." She swallows hard, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat. "Why was Rey with them? Did she go with Han to try and get Ben back?"

Again Luke is unsure of how to tell Evaan something this important, again he settles on the blunt answer. "She was with them because she had been captured by Ben and brought to the First Order. Evidently she and her friend Finn had run into Han earlier after they escaped Jakku on the _Falcon_ and Rey was captured when they were at Maz's."

"Wait a second, back up," says Evaan, a little agitated. "Why were Rey and the _Falcon_ on Jakku?"

"Han lost the _Falcon_ the Gannis Ducain," explains Luke, trying to remember how Rey had explained it, "who then lost it to Vanver Irving, who lost it to Unkar Plutt, who lost it to Rey. And Rey was on Jakku because Ben put her there."

Evaan's eyes darken. "Why was my baby on Jakku, Luke? Why did Ben put her there?"

"Ben murdered the New Jedi Order," replies Luke, some bitterness in his voice. "Every single one of my students is dead, except for Rey. He spared her and put her on Jakku with altered memories, he hid her from me in the Force so I couldn't find her and I didn't, she found me on Ahch-To."

"Why were you on Ahch-To?" asks Evaan a little curiously.

"I went there after the massacre," replies Luke, a little ashamed of himself. "On Ahch-To is the first Jedi Temple and I thought it would be better to be there learning rather than out in the galaxy."

Evaan nods, her eyes hard. "You were going to kill Ben."

"At that time, yes," says Luke with a slight sigh. "I saw him one last time before I left, when he came to gloat about his victory, and I was ready to kill him as he had my students. The only thing that kept me from doing it was Rey; I had to find out where she was as I hadn't been able to find her body. I was desperate, thinking that Ben had enough compassion in him to let me bury my daughter with dignity, but he didn't tell me anything. After he left, I resolved to go into exile, knowing I could do more good that way than if I were roaming free. I discovered so much while on Ahch-To, I understand more about the first Jedi than even my Masters did." He looks at her and for a moment, he looks like he did when he first started training as a Jedi before the look changes and he appears older than he is now. "But no matter how much I learned, I still missed Rey and wanted to know if she was alive. I tried everything I could to try and locate her in the Force but there wasn't anything to find. It wasn't until her powers reawakened that I was able to confirm that she was alive."

"Oh Luke," says Evaan quietly as she reaches over and holds his flesh hand. "I'm so sorry."

Luke squeezes her hand, the weight and warmth of it reassuring. "Don't be, it was my fault this happened. I should've paid closer attention to Ben, rather than assuming his progress meant he was staying away from the Dark side. I was such a fool."

"It sounds like you've learned from it," says Evaan kindly. "And now you have Rey back."

"And you," says Luke warmly.

Evaan removes her hand and sits back in her chair, a smile on her face, a sight he has missed so much. "So I have to ask, is there a new Mrs. Skywalker?"

"No," replies Luke, a little hurt she asked but he understands why. "After . . . you died, I couldn't bring myself to be with someone else. Besides I had Rey and my students, neither of which allowed for much opportunity to have time to court someone new."

"I suppose they would take up your time," says Evaan quietly, looking out of the windscreen. "I know this is going to sound stupid, but part of me is glad you didn't move on and the other part is sad that you weren't able to find someone else." She looks at him, her amber eyes a little misty. "All I ever wanted was for you and Rey to be happy, even if that meant I wasn't part of it. I didn't own your heart Luke, you could've found someone else if you tried."

Luke reaches across and grips her hand in both of his, desperate to hold onto her, to make her understand how much she truly meant to him. He took it for granted that she knew when she was with him, now he has a second chance and he is not about to waste it. "Evaan, you were everything to me, you still are," he says with conviction. "Yes, part of the reason I didn't move on was because of my students and Rey, but the other reason is as a said earlier, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I thought about it, there were a number of women I thought I could be happy with, but when it came to actually trying I just couldn't do it. I would think about you and all we had gone through and it felt like an insult for me to be with someone else. You've given me so much, Evaan, more than I think I've given you. As crazy as it sounds, you were and still are, the only woman I have ever loved."

Silence falls between them, Luke still holds onto Evaan's hand like it is a lifeline and slowly she puts her free hand on top of both of his, then looks up at him, smiling brightly. She looks down at their tangled hands; her fingers caress the metallic one and then the flesh one before she frees her hand in his grip only to grab Luke's, holding one in each of hers.

"And you're still the only man I've ever loved," she says and he can feel her trembling, just as she had when she said she loved him for the first time.

Luke reluctantly retracts his hands and then reaches inside the neck of his tunic, his fingers brush against a leather strap and he pulls hard on it, breaking the knot that held it together. He pulls it out and shows it to Evaan, who claps a hand over her mouth. Luke then places the necklace in his lap and pulls off a ring, handing it to Evaan, whose hand is already held out waiting.

"I was wondering where it was," she says at last as she looks at her wedding ring. "I thought they had taken it."

"No, I had it," says Luke as he looks at his wedding band, something he has not worn since the day he lost Evaan. "We . . . we buried you with a similar one. It was selfish really, I just wanted to have a small piece of you with me, so I took your ring and Han found a replacement."

Evaan chuckles. "That's not selfish, Luke, I probably would've done the same." She picks up her ring and studies it in the fluorescent light. "It still looks the same as the day you gave it to me." She looks at him slyly. "Do you, Luke Skywalker take me to be your wife? To love and to cherish, to defend and to honor, for all the days of your life?"

"I do," says Luke as he reaches over, takes her ring, and places it on her left ring finger. "Do you, Evaan Skywalker, take me to be your husband? To love and to cherish, to defend and to honor, for all the days of your life?"

"I do," says Evaan as she reaches over and takes his ring, sliding it over his left ring finger. They look at each other, knowing what follows.

"I pledge myself completely, my love, to be bound in the Force to only you. From this day forward, we are a single entity, living and breathing for each other. No power can sever this bond, for it is given freely from my heart," they say in unison.

Their eyes are locked on each other, the two of them transported back to their wedding day almost thirty years ago, when they were barely in their twenties and coming off the high of winning the galactic civil war. Luke had asked her to be his wife not too long after they left Endor, and they married on New Alderaan shortly after that. It had been such a whirlwind many doubted they knew each other well enough but what they said did not matter, Luke and Evaan knew then just as they know now how deeply they love each other.

Luke cups Evaan's cheek with his mechanical hand, he can feel the warmth from her skin and he caresses gently, not even in his wildest dreams he did not think he would actually get to touch her again. She feels just as he remembers, as soft as a flower petal and as warm as a sun. Without hesitation, he leans forward and she slowly moves towards him, her lips slightly parted and he eagerly anticipates kissing his bride. Suddenly a white hot and searing pain shoots through his heart, sending him tumbling to the floor as he clutches at his chest, eyes slammed shut against the pain. He then feels something, a disturbance in the Force, one that brings tears to his eyes and makes the pain in his chest so much worse. He can feel a light dimming, a presence leaving to join the totality of the Force.

"Luke!" says Evaan, down on the ground beside him, with panic evident in her voice. "Luke, what is it? What's wrong?"

Luke's eyes slowly open, he stares directly at Evaan, he can feel hot tears roll down his cheeks. "It's Leia . . . she's dead."


	14. Chapter 14

Screams, chaos, and madness surround her. This is not how it was supposed to happen; she said there was a plan in place, that there was nothing to worry about. If that were so, then people would not be screaming, running around in a panic, and Rey would not be holding her dying aunt.

"Get a medic droid!" shouts Finn from overhead. "Tell them General Organa's been hit! Poe! Poe, get your ass back here! Damn it, someone go after him!"

Rey cannot bring herself to tear her eyes away from her aunt's face, watching as the light in her eyes continues to dim, she knows she will not make it, the shot had been too well placed but that does not stop her from hoping. One of her hands makes it into Leia's, gripping it as if somehow it would transfer her life into her aunt; she curses her uselessness, she finally understands how much she really does not know.

"Hold on, Aunt Leia," says Rey encouragingly although she can feel her heart shattering. "Help's coming, just please hold on!"

She looks into the strong face of a woman she has admired since she was little, a woman who seemed ready to take on the galaxy at any opportunity. Leia had almost seemed to be on a completely different level to everyone around her and she continues that trend even as she waits on death's doorstep. Rey has never seen someone look so strong in the face of death and she hopes to never see it again.

"R-Rey," wheezes Leia, her breathing labored as she struggles to stay conscious. "I'll be fine . . . d-don't worry. Han . . . Han will be there."

Rey's vision is blurred with tears as she holds her aunt closer, not wanting her to slip away so easily. "Don't go, please don't go."

Leia squeezes her hand. "Save Ben . . . d-don't let him . . . there's still good . . ." Her head gently rests against Rey's shoulder and her body becomes heavier in Rey's arms.

There are no words to describe the moment she feels her aunt join the Force, she is just filled with a profound feeling of loss; she has no idea that this is how a disturbance in the Force feels, all she knows is this feeling echoes the feeling in her heart. She can feel tears running down her cheeks, hot and numerous as she clutches her aunt's body, rocking back on forth on her knees, the world around her now meaningless.

"Rey, we have to move," says Finn, putting a hand on her shoulder, rooting her to reality. "C'mon Rey, we have to leave."

"Help me," says Rey, her throat is raw from crying but her voice is strong as she looks up at him. Finn looks curiously at her and she returns her gaze to her aunt's body. "I'm not leaving her here, Finn."

Finn looks at Leia then back at Rey, there is a fire of determination shining brightly in her eyes and he knows he cannot persuade her to change her mind. He then gets down on his knees and gently takes Leia's still form in his arms, being extremely careful not to jostle her further and then he stands up with the body of the once determined general and Rey stands up as well. The crowd around them stops all movement and noise when it becomes clear that Princess Leia Organa, the last hope for Alderaan, celebrated warrior, and beloved wife and mother, is dead. The hush that descends is interrupted by a few crying people and the earthshattering roar from a very furious Wookiee, the sheer ferocity of his cry clears a path almost instantly for Finn and Rey as they begin walking. They are close enough to the mausoleum that it only makes sense for them to complete the journey.

Two royal guards open the sea glass doors when they arrive, allowing them an unimpeded entrance, and Finn immediately heads for the stone pyre used for viewings in the center of the large circular room, setting Leia down as gently as he can. He closes her eyes with immense care and then places her hands over her abdomen in a more peaceful position, his hands shaking from adrenaline and grief; he might not have known her long, but Leia had given him a second chance when most would have turned him away. Together with Rey they stand beside her, their minds and hearts reeling from the dramatic turn of events, reliving the moment again and again.

 _They were walking down the smooth road leading away from the safety of the palace walls towards the mausoleum near the center of the capital city. Rey was between Finn and Poe; her aunt, Winter, and Lando were walking just a few feet ahead of the rest of the crowd. Many were chatting quietly and Rey stole an opportunity to look out for any signs of an assassin, she saw people lining the streets with their heads bowed in respect, likely assuming this was a funeral procession of sorts. She wished she had the ability to see more clearly in the dark, the street lights were certainly not enough to see if someone was waiting in the shadows._

 _Soon they saw the mausoleum, they were probably a hundred or two hundred feet away when another cloaked figure approached the leaders. They stopped and so did the rest of the crowd, some of them wondering aloud why they were not moving. The figure pulled out a blaster rifle, pointing it directly at Leia's chest._

" _Connix," said Leia, sounding betrayed and confused._

" _The First Order sends their regards," said Connix before she pulled the trigger, sending Leia to the ground as Connix ran off._

"I should've done something," whispers Rey as fresh tears wash down her face, she cannot control them, not that she is exactly trying. "Why didn't I do anything?"

"She made us promise," replies Finn, although he knows Rey did not mean for her question to be answered. He is crying as well, tears drip off of his jaw and onto the floor. "I think she knew who the assassin was."

Rey wipes her face furiously, angry with herself for not doing anything to save her aunt and with the galaxy for taking her aunt away. She wishes she could go back and stop Connix or jump in the way of the blast or do something that was not standing there like an absolute fool watching as her aunt was murdered.

"I wonder if Poe found Connix," says Finn, bringing her from her dark thoughts. "He ran in that direction, I think, and he seemed hell bent on catching her."

"At least one of us disobeyed her," says Rey bitterly as she gazes at her aunt's still form, if not for the blaster wound in her chest, she would have thought her aunt was sleeping. "I hope he catches her, Finn, I really do."

They then hear the doors behind them open and a set of loud and harsh footsteps fill the round room, they turn around and see Poe walking towards them. His hair is disheveled and uniform covered in dirt, his face is stricken with grief and fury; he does not look like the carefree pilot with a soft spot for droids but a fierce and angry solider that no one should approach for at least a day. Poe stands beside Rey, looking down at Leia's body with softness in his eyes that contradicts the hurricane of pain on his face.

"She got away," he says, breaking the silence between them. "I lost her trail so Chewie took over. Force damn that woman for what she's done."

"I can't believe she was a traitor," says Finn, his voice laced with disbelief. "She's been with Leia since after the Civil War."

"Well apparently that didn't matter when she shot her, now did it?" snaps Poe, venom dripping from every word. "Snoke was right to use Connix, she was the least suspicious of any officer and would have unlimited access to her target." He shakes his head, freeing more curls from the confines of his hair product. "If she knew there was going to be an attempt on her life, she probably knew more, probably even the identity of her assassin."

"That didn't matter in the end," says Rey, her tone ice cold. "She gave Connix the opportunity and that _karking dopa-meekie gaggalax mursto_ took it."

"Was that Huttese?" asks Finn and Rey nods. "What did you say?"

"I said, 'that kriffing double-crossing worm-eating liar'," replies Rey and Finn chuckles a little, causing Rey to glower at him. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," replies Finn with a slight shrug. "That just sounded like something your aunt would say, that's all."

The barest smile stretches across Rey's lips, breaking her grief for the briefest moment and she could not agree more with Finn's assessment. She remembers her aunt coming up with rather creative insults for her political enemies and even her husband and brother if it was warranted; the only people she did not insult were Ben and Rey.

"Kids," says Lando as he enters, eyes red and white suit covered in a thin dusting of dirt, when they turn to look at him he glimpses Leia's body and his heart sinks through the floor; he had been holding out the smallest hope that the point blank blast had not been as critical as he thought but seeing her unmoving on that stone slab, he knows she is gone. He slowly goes to his knees and hangs his head as his shoulders shake, appearing utterly defeated.

Finn cautiously leaves Rey's side and approaches Lando, putting a hand on his shoulder like he had done for Rey. The Viceroy looks up at him, tears tracking down his face and he puts his hand on Finn's, a silent conversation told in simple gestures. Their hands move away and Lando stands up, composing himself as much as he can before clearing his throat.

"We need to get back to the palace," he says, his voice slightly strained. "Connix is still out there and I want to make sure the three of you are safe." His eyes rest on Leia. "It's what she would have done."

Rey turns back to her aunt, defiance radiating off her in waves. She is not about to be parted from her aunt, not now when she needs her most; her father would be disappointed if he knew she left Leia's side, even for a moment. Thinking of her father doubles her heartache, he is somewhere alone and being tortured by Snoke, unable to be here with them and she has yet to start looking for him. Guilt mingles with her grief and she feels faint with the twisting and conflicting emotions swirling within.

"Rey, we have to go," insists Lando but Poe shakes his head.

"We'll stay," says Poe sternly, taking control of the situation. "Finn, I need you to go back to the palace with Lando and Winter, try to get in touch with the Resistance and tell them what's happened. Make sure the politicians are safe as well; we're going to need them now more than ever. Skywalker and I will join you later."

Finn gives Poe a skeptical look and Poe just stares at him, like a commander waiting for his soldiers to obey him. Finally Finn understands and he and Lando head for the door, Finn looking back over his shoulder just in time to see Poe slip an arm around Rey's shoulders. Something akin to jealousy teases at the back of his emotions but he does not acknowledge it, brushing it off as insignificant. He makes sure to have the guards close the doors behind them once they leave.

Poe dares a glance at Rey, finding his own grief and anger reflected on her face, her nose and eyes are red from crying; he notes that her freckles have disappeared under the ruddy color. He is certain he does not look much better, probably worse since he had been running through the streets of Aldera, screaming profanities in as many languages as he could while he chased down Connix. Chewbacca had joined him just moments after he lost her trail, likely following him shortly after he left, and he said he would continue so he headed back to the scene. He looks down at the body of the woman he considered a second mother and he cannot help thinking of his own mother, someone he loved dearly and had lost far too young; in this moment he decides that there is no acceptable age to lose a parent.

"Her last words were for him," says Rey coldly. "All of this is because of him and she wasted her last breath talking about him."

"He's her son," says Poe with an empty voice.

"He's a monster," declares Rey and her voice hitches as she begins to cry again. "I'm sorry, but I can't forgive him, not now."

Poe has no idea who she is speaking to, he hardly cares if she can forgive her cousin, he certainly cannot but he pulls her closer anyway and wraps another arm around her and she turns into his warmth. "It'll be okay, Rey. It'll all be okay." His words are as much a comfort for him as they are for her.

Rey rests her head against his shoulder, sobs causing her body to tremble as she tries to gain control. "I should've done something, Poe. I should've stopped this, I _could've_ stopped this!"

"I don't think anyone could've, Rey," whispers Poe as he holds her tighter. "Connix might have killed you then Leia and . . . and I don't want to think about that."

"Dehleah was right, I couldn't protect Jawas from Tusken Raiders," says Rey with a sniffle. "My aunt's dead because of me."

Poe pulls away from her and moves her face they are looking directly into each other's eyes. "This was not your fault, Leia's dead because of Connix and the First Order, not you! You can't blame yourself for this, Rey. Death is the only absolute in this galaxy and if it is destined to happen, then no force can stop it, not even a Jedi."

"That sounds like something my father would say," says Rey as she leans back into Poe's touch, finding it more comforting than being alone, which is a surprise since she has spent so much time alone.

"That's because it is something he said," retorts Poe as he holds her comfortably in his arms. "He told me that after my mother died. Besides, I don't think Leia would want you blaming yourself over this, she'd probably want you cussing out Connix in Huttese again."

Rey lets out a small giggle. "Thank you, Poe."

"Anytime, Rey," he replies softly.

* * *

Later that evening, Rey sits in a chair in her room, her legs drawn up under her chin as she waits for the news that Connix has been captured. She is still wearing her gown from earlier, the ribbons in her hair are slipping out of place, and she can feel sores on her feet from where her shoes had rubbed the skin but she still does not move to change. Her grief and need to hear that her aunt's murderer had been caught keep her in place.

Just then her door opens and she jumps in her seat, whipping her head around she sees R2-D2 entering alone. She sighs in disappointment, she had been hoping for Poe or Lando or someone who would tell her what she wanted to hear. The blue and white astromech makes his way over to her chair, when he is closer she reaches out and gently strokes his head as he makes sad and long chirps.

"I know," says Rey quietly. "I miss her too. So, what secret adventure were you and BB-8 doing?"

R2-D2 makes a series of chirps and beeps and Rey's eyes widen.

"You were making contact with the other Senators?!" exclaims Rey in disbelief and R2-D2 spouts another few beeps. "And the Chancellor! Why would Aunt Leia ask you to do that? I thought all of her allies were already here."

R2-D2 makes another series of chirps and Rey sighs, the little droid has no idea why he was asked to contact the rest of the Senate or the Chancellor. Her aunt's final orders are still a mystery.

"Do you happen to know if Connix was captured?" asks Rey curiously and R2-D2 beeps in the negative. "Kriff, I was hoping she'd be captured by now."

"Language, Rey," says Anakin as he appears before her, a smirk on his lips. "Your father didn't bring you up to swear like that."

Rey is not sure whether to roll her eyes or cry, that was one of the last things her father said to her and to hear it again makes her heart ache. "I'm sorry, Grandfather."

Anakin's smirk falls. "No, I'm sorry, Rey. I was just trying to cheer you up."

"You know what happened to Leia?" asks Rey as fresh tears prick her eyes.

"Yes," replies Anakin, his voice strained and for a brief moment orange flashes in his eyes. "I felt her join the Force. If it'll make you feel any better, she was at peace when she died."

Rey nods, hearing that does bring her a small measure of comfort. "I'm sorry, Grandfather, it's my fault she's dead. I just stood there and let Connix kill her."

"You need to let go of your guilt, Rey," says Anakin gently. "It won't do you any good in the long run."

"I keep going over it in my head," continues Rey, ignoring Anakin's words. "There was a four second window of opportunity when I could have used the Force to push her away or stop the blast. Instead I just stood there and let her shoot . . . I would give anything to go back and stop her."

Anakin hears something familiar in his granddaughter's words, a sentiment he once shared with her when he thought he would lose his wife in childbirth. That fear, that anger led him down the path of the Dark side and eventually destroyed everything he held dear; he senses the danger Rey is in of traveling down the same path he had and he does not want to lose her to that power like he lost Ben. He bends down in front of her and places a hand on hers, he knows she cannot really feel his touch but it might bring her some comfort. Rey looks down at him, curious as to what he is doing.

"Rey, I once craved to have more power," says Anakin slowly. "I thought I wasn't the Jedi I should have been and I when I was faced with my greatest fear, I went searching for another source of power. I wanted to stop my fears from coming true so I betrayed everything I ever believed in in order to gain that power, and ultimately my fears came true. Having more power isn't the answer to anything; all it does is lead you down a path that no one else can follow. Listen to me Rey, you have to let what happened go and don't blame yourself. Please, let go of your anger before it destroys you like it did me."

Rey is stunned by her grandfather's words, she has never heard him speak so openly about what led him down the path to the Dark side and hearing some of her own thoughts coming from his mouth frightens her even more. She had no idea her thoughts mirrored his.

"Don't repeat my mistakes," implores Anakin, slightly desperate. "Let go of your guilt over what happened to Leia and your anger towards Ben and Connix. Nothing good can come of either."

"Alright Grandfather, I'll try," says Rey at last, giving him the barest of smiles.

"That's a good girl," says Anakin approvingly as he stands up. "Now, about your father—"

A series of knocks interrupts Anakin and Rey hurries to the door, almost tripping over herself in her haste. When she throws open the door she sees a palace servant standing there with a large white box, the servant simply hands her the box and then promptly leaves as if expected somewhere else. Rey almost chases after the servant but instead she heads back into her room, closing the door behind her, she heads for her bed and places the box on top of it. She notices a small envelope on the lid, she picks it up and flips open the top half, almost dropping it when she sees her aunt's neat and tight hand writing:

 _Rey,_

 _I hope you don't mind, but I commissioned this for you._

 _It's done in the old style, or so I was told._

 _I hope you like it._

 _Love,_

 _Aunt Leia_

A fresh wave of tears overwhelms her and her knees buckle, she quickly sits on the bed to prevent herself from falling to the floor. With shaking hands she lifts the lid and pushes away the tissue paper covering the contents, it is then she sees a steel blue fitted tunic with almost black embroidery subtly sewn over the surface. She runs her hand over it and notes that the section above the waist seems to have armor included underneath. Rey gently puts the tunic to the side and picks up a pair of black pants, well-made and a little looser than Rey had expected, reminiscent of the pants she wore on Jakku. She then picks up a fitted black under shirt and a steel blue obi belt, underneath are a fabric black tabard, a steel blue cloak, and a pair of sensible black boots; all of these items contain the same embroidery as the tunic. Something else she notices is the shirts are sleeveless and when she reaches the very bottom of the box, she spots a pair of steel blue arm covers. Her heart lurches when she realizes that her aunt modeled her Jedi robes after the clothes she had worn on Jakku, making sure she would be safe and comfortable.

"Those aren't entirely traditional," says Anakin as he looks at Rey's new clothes. "Actually, they're better. The fabric alone is an improvement."

Rey smiles sadly as she lays all of the pieces on her bed, admiring her aunt's final gift. "Leave it to Aunt Leia to improve on a centuries' old tradition."

Suddenly she feels something as cold as ice travel down her spine, the Force becomes thick with darkness and she answers its call, _reaching_ out to see what it is trying to tell her. An image immediately takes shape in her mind, she sees her father lying on a rough stone floor, and fires are lit all around him as they hiss in the rain. Above him stands Kylo Ren, his red lightsaber activated in his hand, he raises it and strikes at Luke, piercing through his heart.

Rey gasps and is brought out of the image. _'He has Dad!'_ she thinks, adrenaline coursing through her veins, she tries to call the image again but all she sees are flashes of a familiar planet, a place she has not been in almost a decade. "He's on Gatalenta!" she cries out, nearly jumping to her feet.

"What? Who's on Gatalenta?" asks Anakin sternly. "Rey, what's going on?"

"I have to get there and fast," mutters Rey as she formulates a plan. "I need to get a ship, the _Falcon_ 's out but there are a number of X-Wings in the hangar. Now, how do I get one—?"

"Rey!" shouts Anakin, grabbing her attention. "What's going on? What did you see?!"

"He has Dad!" shouts Rey, clearly afraid. "He has Dad and they're on Gatalenta. I need to get there, Grandfather, he's in trouble."

Anakin looks at her incredulously. "Rey, I don't sense your father on Gatalenta, in fact I don't sense him anywhere near that system." He thinks for a moment. "This is probably a trap, I won't let you leave."

Rey flushes with anger. "You expect me to just sit here and let Ben kill Dad?!"

"He doesn't have your father!" argues Anakin, his own temper getting the better of him. "If he were, you would be able to tell. Search the Force, you know that vision was a lie!"

"But what if it isn't?" insists Rey desperately. "What if it's showing me the future, and Ben's on his way with Dad? I still have time to save him."

Anakin shakes his head. "You can't trust visions from the Force, Rey. Believe me, it's better to just wait and let things play out rather than to jump the blaster and try to prevent something."

"But—but he could die," says Rey, on the verge of tears once again. "I can't lose him, Grandfather, I can't! I've already lost my family once and I'll be damned before I let that happen again."

"I understand your concern, Rey," says Anakin patiently, "but you need to calm down, your grief and fear are clouding your judgment. Besides, it would be unwise for you to face Ben now, you might do something you'll regret later."

Rey knows he is right, facing her cousin now might be the worst idea she could ever have, even if it means saving her father's life. She glances at the Jedi robes on her bed, the images of her father being tortured and then killed by Kylo dance in front of her eyes; her aunt's lifeless body then joins them and her heart shatters. Despite her grandfather's warnings, she knows what has to be done.

Slipping out of her room a few minutes later, Rey is dressed in her new Jedi robes, her hair still as it was at the party but without the ribbon and her lightsaber is clipped to her obi with her rucksack over her shoulder. R2-D2 follows closely behind her as she heads for one of the private entrances, intent on traveling to the hangar to procure a spacecraft. She is about halfway to the nearest door when she hears a familiar chirping sound, looking to her right she sees BB-8 rolling down the hall with Poe walking at the droid's side. Poe looks up and sees Rey, his eyes widening when he notices her attire.

"Going somewhere, Skywalker?" he asks, trying to sound cheerful but his tone is too flat.

"Not really," replies Rey, feeling a twinge of guilt at the obvious lie. "What about you?"

"Just walking around," says Poe with a shrug. "I can't stand waiting around anymore."

Rey nods, her finger twisting around her rucksack strap. "I think this means that Connix isn't going to be caught."

Poe lets out a slow sigh. "I guess you're right." The veil of anger from before settles across his eyes. "Kriff! I should've caught her! If I had, things would be different."

"That sounds familiar," says Anakin, the two of them jump when they hear his voice. "Poe, Rey needs a ship. She believes her cousin is holding her father hostage on Gatalenta. If you don't let her have one, she's going to steal one."

"Is that true, Rey?" asks Poe, his eyebrow raised and arms crossed.

Rey glares at her grandfather for a moment before looking again at Poe. "Yes, it's true. I saw a vision that Ben is holding my father and then he kills him. I'm going to go and prevent that from happening."

"And you were fully prepared to steal your transportation?" inquires Poe further, his stern gaze unrelenting.

"Well, not technically _steal_ but—" starts Rey.

"Use a mind trick on some hapless pilot," interrupts Poe and Rey forces herself to maintain eye contact. The pilot shakes his head, obviously torn over Rey's idea of how to procure her transportation. "Take my X-Wing."

Rey's eyes widen in surprise. "What? Are you serious?"

Poe nods. "Yes Rey, I'm serious. I'd rather know you were in a ship that works than in some piece of junk that could crash at any moment. Besides, this is a mission to save your father, I couldn't possibly say no to that."

"Thank you, Poe," says Rey sincerely, a gentle and relieved smile on her lips.

Poe then steps forward and pulls her into an embrace. "Just promise me one thing."

"I'll bring it back in one piece," says Rey as she wraps her arms around him.

He chuckles and holds her tighter. "Well that's nice to know, but what I was going to say was I want you to promise me that _you_ will come back in one piece. I don't care as much about my X-Wing."

Rey's heart sped up and she held onto him just a little tighter, breathing in his spicy scent and finding comfort in it; she realizes that if she fails against Ben, she will never see Poe again and that does not sit well with her. "I promise," she says fiercely before pulling away. "I will come back, Poe, with all my limbs in tact and your ship."

"Good," says Poe, clearing his throat. "You look like a real Jedi, by the way."

"Thank you," says Rey, her cheeks going bright pink. "It was . . . this is from Aunt Leia. I just got it today."

He again looks at the outfit, taking in almost every detail of the design and seeing where Leia left her mark on each piece. "Make her proud," says Poe sternly. "And when you see Kylo Ren, give him a punch for me."

Rey chuckles and then begins walking back towards the door, R2-D2 at her side.

"May the Force be with you, Rey," says Poe as she opens the door and she smiles at him again.

"I'll see you soon, Poe," says Rey as she steps out into the night.

* * *

New Alderaan comes into view on the windscreen, both Evaan and Luke breathe a sigh of relief as they approach the planet. When Luke felt Leia's death, they had traveled there almost immediately, Evaan putting a strain on the engines in order to get there faster. She eases the ship towards the planet's atmosphere, allowing the pull to draw the ship in, saving the engines the trouble of powering through. Just then an X-Wing fighter goes flying past them, Luke feels immense fear and anger coming from the pilot and something else, something that makes him want to turn the shuttle around and follow the fighter.

"Rey's in that ship!" he shouts suddenly and Evaan pulls hard on the controls, slowing the shuttle considerably.

"Can you tell why?" asks Evaan as she begins rerouting unnecessary power to the engines, hoping to turn around and catch Rey.

Luke shakes his head. "No, all I know is she's scared and angry. Not a winning combination."

"Anakin has just informed us where she's going and why," says Obi-Wan as he appears for the first time in weeks.

"Where have you been, Obi-Wan?" demands Luke as he rounds to his former Master.

"The Force around the place you were being held prevented me and Yoda from materializing," replies Obi-Wan calmly. "We were watching over you the best we could, Luke."

"And why weren't you with Rey?" he asks sternly.

"We are not connected to her as we are to you," explains Obi-Wan. "Because she is of Anakin's blood like you are, he can be with you both but you had a connection to both Yoda and myself while Rey did not, so we can only appear to you. She can see and interact with us but we will not appear without you present."

"How convenient," mumbles Luke as he begins assisting Evaan with rerouting the power. "So what did he say?"

"She's going to Gatalenta," says Obi-Wan. "She was sent a vision of Kylo Ren killing you on that planet, so she's headed there to prevent your death."

Luke pales considerably. "She's being lured into a trap."

"A familiar scenario," says Obi-Wan, echoing Luke's thoughts and he scowls at his old Master. "You must stop her before she reaches Gatalenta, she isn't in the right frame of mind to be fighting Kylo. In this state, she might kill him."

"My daughter isn't that evil," snarls Luke. "Nothing would make her kill her own family."

"Luke, what's going on?" asks Evaan as she looks from him to the air behind him, her voice betraying her fear. "What's Obi-Wan saying?"

Obi-Wan's eyes widen, clearly recognizing the supposedly dead wife of his student. "How is Evaan alive?"

"Rey's being lured into a trap," replies Luke as they continue their work, deliberately ignoring Obi-Wan's question. "Ben's luring her to Gatalenta, he used a Force vision of my death as bait."

Evaan's eyes widen in alarm. "Oh stars, we have to stop her! Tell the Masters to stop her!"

"They can't," says Luke, giving a sidelong glare to Obi-Wan. "Apparently they can only appear for me and my father has already tried; she's definitely acting like she's your daughter."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" demands Evaan, glowering at her husband. "You're just as stubborn as I am, Luke Skywalker, if not more so."

"Says the woman who insisted on wearing metal pins in her hair while on Hoth," retorts Luke and Evaan's gaze darkens even more.

"We don't have time for this," says Evaan and Luke knows he has won this round. "We need to focus on getting our daughter back." She looks at the readouts on the console and sighs heavily. "This isn't good."

"What's wrong?" asks Luke as he leans over to read the data. He then sees what has Evaan so concerned. "Do you want to tell me why the warp vortex stabilizer is now non-functional?"

"Not really," mutters Evaan as she steers the shuttle so it is pointing towards the surface of the planet. The warp vortex stabilizer is designed to make entering and exiting hyperspace a smoother transition, without it the shuttle could shake itself out of hyperspace during flight or fly out of control after it leaves hyperspace. Since neither of those is a wanted outcome, their only choice is to head down and find a new spacecraft.

"That was what was hit during our escape, wasn't it?" asks Luke although he is pretty sure he is right. Again, Evaan's silence is telling. "And you didn't tell me because . . .?"

"I didn't want you to worry," replies Evaan softly. "After you rejected my plan for jumping to hyperspace in the hangar, I came up with a new plan of just bolting out of there at top speed then jumping to hyperspace the moment it was safe; then the stabilizer was shot and I knew if you knew you'd tell me not to do it." She wipes a tear away. "We had limited options, honestly we only had two, and I had to do something so I went with our second option even though there was a chance something could go horribly wrong . . . I couldn't let us die in there, Luke. I would've rather died in this shuttle with you trying to escape and there wasn't a problem earlier and . . . I'm sorry for not telling you."

Luke understands her sentiment, in all honesty he would have much rather died in space than in that hangar or worse, watched as Evaan was killed and he was dragged back to Snoke. He reaches over and puts his mechanical hand on her arm, squeezing it gently. "It's fine, Evaan, I completely understand. We were in an impossible situation back there and we needed to take a risk, you're the only one I've ever trusted to pull off a stunt like that."

Evaan smiles at him weakly. "But not to jump to hyperspace in a hangar."

"Even I have my limits," chuckles Luke. "Now, get us to Aldera."

"Yes, Grand Master," laughs Evaan as she sets course for the capital city.


	15. Chapter 15

Poe's X-Wing cuts like a hot knife through cold butter through any resistance she might have encountered on any other ship, to say she is impressed is an understatement but even the extraordinary nature of the spacecraft is not enough to deviate her focus from her quest. Once she breaks through New Alderaan's atmosphere, she begins putting in the coordinates for Gatalenta, making the calculations for hyperspace at the same time. It barely registers in her mind that she passed a shuttle on her way out of the planet.

"Rey, this is reckless," chides Anakin, seated behind her seat. "You need to turn back."

"I don't think you're really the person to be lecturing me on recklessness," retorts Rey as she brings the X-Wing into hyperspace. "Besides, you didn't have to come with me."

Anakin glares at the back of the seat. "Yes I did, I have to make sure you're safe."

"And I have to make sure my father's alive," says Rey stubbornly. "If I lose him . . . I don't think I could go on."

"We love too deeply," whispers Anakin as a silver tear trails down his non-corporeal cheek.

Rey hears him but she decides not to say anything, she has nothing to dispute that claim, she has watched over the course of her life love in different forms but all consistent in their intensity. Han and Leia's love for each other was full of insults and arguments but in between were moments of a deep love, a protective love that said to all who witnessed that these two were prepared to die for the other if necessary. Their love for Ben was just as strong, wanting to keep him as safe as possible while allowing him to experience all sorts of things most parents would not even dare let their kid see. Her parents' love, from what she had heard and seen in the holos, was more what storytellers would call 'true love'; it was young and innocent, passionate and grounding, everything anyone could ever want. Her father's love for her has always been similar, he sees her as the center of his world and she cannot imagine life without her father's love, not again.

* * *

The shuttle barely touches down outside of the hangar before Luke and Evaan are sprinting out, surprising the mechanics and pilots alike. Somehow they had managed to avoid radioing in to the control tower, something that worries them but they know they have to stay focused on their mission to save Rey. They head for the nearest ship when something small and orange blocks their path, beeping loudly for his master. They look to see a man with dark curls, wearing a pilot orange flight suit running at top speed towards the droid, looking slightly annoyed at being summoned.

"BB-8, what in blazes . . .?" starts Poe when his voice drifts off upon seeing Luke Skywalker standing in front of him, battered and bruised, wearing half of a set of First Order stormtrooper armor. He pales significantly when his mind connects the dots. "Rey's in danger, isn't she?"

"Very much so," says Luke and he can sense this man cares a great deal for his daughter, as well as the tremendous guilt he is carrying on his shoulders. "That was your X-Wing, wasn't it?"

Poe nods despite himself. "Yes, sir. She told me she was going to rescue you and I didn't want her to steal something so I let her have my ship, I knew it was reliable and would get her there in one piece."

Evaan looks torn between irate and relieved, so she reaches a middle ground and grips Poe by the shoulders as tightly as she can. "Thank you, thank you for caring enough to do that."

"No problem," says Poe, wincing as her nails dig into his shoulders, despite the flight suit. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"Rey's mother," replies Evaan automatically before she releases Poe. "And who are you?"

"Commander Poe Dameron," replies Poe, rubbing the spots where she had squeezed. "And aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Evaan waves off his question. "I'll address that later, but first we need a working spacecraft, ours is too broken to fly right now and I'd rather not try to fix it right now."

Poe nods and looks around the hangar. "There isn't much available right now, besides the _Falcon_ I suppose but Chewie isn't here so I don't think I can loan it to you."

"Where is he?" asks Luke curiously.

"Probably still chasing down Connix," replies Poe with a shrug while both Luke and Evaan stand there with their mouths hanging open. "Wait, you didn't know—?"

"Arrest them!" shouts a voice and they all turn to see a man in a grey military suit standing at the entrance of the hangar with a group of at least a dozen soldiers.

Luke shakes his head, reminded of just hours ago when Hux chased after them with almost as many stormtroopers. Evaan crosses her arms tightly against her chest, her eyes locked on the military officer as he and his men stride towards their position, the officer has two sets of binders in his hand. When he reaches them, Poe steps forward, putting himself between the man and Luke and Evaan.

"General Calrissian, these are Rey's parents," says Poe sternly and he points at Luke. "This is Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker and his wife, Commander Evaan Verlaine."

"Skywalker," mumbles Evaan and Poe nods in acknowledgement.

"Commander Evaan Skywalker," amends Poe with a slight smile to Evaan before he turns back to the other man. "Sir, they haven't done anything wrong, so why are you arresting them?"

General Calrissian takes in Luke and Evaan, as if sizing them up to all he has heard about them. "We were informed that just minutes ago, a First Order shuttle broke our atmosphere and landed at this hangar. I was sent to capture those aboard and bring them in for questioning."

"Olos, is that you?" asks Evaan as she looks at the man, he has Winter's signature white hair and blue eyes, his skin a combination of his parents' contrasting complexions but his face is almost all Lando. "You've grown up so much! I can't believe you're the same little boy who used to play Army with his stuffed animals."

Olos regards Evaan even more closely, almost as if he does not believe that she knows something so trivial about his past. "How do you know that?"

"Because I would play with you," replies Evaan calmly. "We would go to the meadows just outside the capital and set up two opposing lines, yours would be the Republic and I would be the Empire. Your stuffed Wookiee toy would be your Jedi master."

Olos' eyes widen and he immediately drops the binders before he falls to his knees in front of Evaan, tears in his eyes. "Aunt Evaan . . . it really is you."

Evaan smiles before leaning down to embrace the young man, holding him tightly. "It's good to see you too, Olos. I've missed you and your family so very much."

"Sir, are we still arresting them?" asks a soldier tentatively after a time and Olos pulls away from Evaan and glares up at his soldier, sending him the clear message that no one is being arrested.

"We're bringing them to my parents," says Olos as he stands, helping Evaan up in the process. "They need to see them."

"Yes, sir," says his men and they begin escorting Evaan and Luke out of the hangar.

Poe watches them leave, guilt and disbelief mixing within him as he tries to make sense of everything he has just learned. The fact Rey's mother is actually alive is dwarfed by his concern for Rey's wellbeing, as he has unwittingly assisted in bringing her to Kylo Ren's trap. He rushes as fast as he can back to where his squads are resting, running through the hangar's inventory as a plan took shape; he is going to help Rey's parents save her even if it kills him.

* * *

Lando has a few more regrets than most people, not many but a few; he regrets losing the _Falcon_ to Han, selling Han out to the Empire, and not being there more for his family, among a few others. All of those nearly pale in comparison to the regret of agreeing to let a group of fearful, angry politicians into his once spacious office. After Leia's assassination, they had all returned to the palace and once the assistants were in their rooms, all congregated in Lando's office for a discussion about how to proceed. It had quickly devolved into a conversation of paranoid ramblings.

"Sometimes, I wish I had just stayed on Bespin," he says to himself, knowing it would not be heard over the shouting of the other politicians. Then he stood up and the others fell silent for just a moment, long enough for him to make an opening statement. "Everybody just calm down. I know Leia's death has shaken you and Connix's betrayal has you all worried about your own assistants but we need to stay focused. This attack, Leia's death, proves what she's been saying all along: the First Order must be stopped. What happened to Hosnian Prime was not an act of strength but the first attack in what could be a new war."

Silence follows his words, their meaning slipping like smoke through the crowd until finally it sinks in.

"Why must war be the answer?" cries one and Lando shakes his head.

Someone else agrees. "We can avert any war by working out a peace agreement with the First Order."

"Yes, like we did with what remained of the Empire," says another.

"Because that worked out so well," says Winter bitterly and Lando gives her an approving look.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" asks someone.

"Appeasement will not work with the First Order," says Lando sternly, returning the attention to himself. "Sure, it might work for now, maybe even a few years down the road but where would it stop? When we've given up our last hope? When we've surrendered our freedoms? How long would it be before a new Emperor rules over us? We've fought too hard and lost too much to plunge the galaxy back into the hell we saved it from." He surveys the room, expecting someone to interject but everyone remains attentive and quiet. "What we need to do is to stand against the First Order. We know how much of a threat they are, if we allow them to go unchallenged, then we risk the rising of a new Empire, and we would be responsible for history repeating itself." Lando's eyes find Winter's and she nods, encouraging him to continue. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tired of being the underdog. I say we answer their first attack and declare war against the First Order."

His words yield a mixed response with some agreeing and many more protesting his declaration, making arguments for and against that blend together until it is just noise. Lando tries to make himself heard over the noise and Winter tries the same thing but neither are successful, the only thing that causes the noise to diminish is the entrance of a large and hairy Wookiee. They all turn to look at him and many rush back in panic, Lando and Winter push forward until they are standing in front of him and they are aghast when they see what he is holding.

"Chewie," says Lando, his throat a little dry from the shock.

Chewbacca says nothing in response, instead he drops what he is holding on the floor: Connix's torn off arm. He looks at Lando coldly, as if expecting the Viceroy to condemn him for his actions or at least reprimand him but Lando does neither, instead he simply stares at the Wookiee; realizing for the first time that Han had not been lying when he said an angry Wookiee can tear a person's arm off.

"What's going on here?" asks a familiar voice, cutting through the thick silence that had fallen over the room. Lando and Winter look over to see their son Olos standing just behind Chewbacca.

"Chewie, let Olos through," says Winter gently and he nods, stepping aside and more of the politicians move to get out of his way.

Olos steps in and immediately sees the severed arm on the floor of his father's office, he looks to his father who looks to Chewbacca and his son understands. He motions behind him and one of his men comes up, wordlessly he points at the arm and his soldier nods before bending down to collect it and retreating from the room. An audible sigh of relief escapes most of the crowd.

"Mother, Father, I believe our guests should return to their rooms," suggests Olos tactfully. "There's something I need to discuss with you, privately."

Winter nods. "Yes, that's an excellent suggestion. Everyone, please return to your rooms, we can continue this discussion at a later time."

"Like when the Chancellor arrives," mutters Lando and Winter gives him a reproving look.

If anyone heard him, they say nothing but quickly disperse from the room, hurrying back to the sanctuary of their private quarters. Olos steps over the puddle of blood left from Connix's arm towards his parents, wading through the thinning crowd until he is standing in front of them, a wide smile on his face.

"What's wrong, Olos?" asks Lando, putting a hand on his son's shoulders.

"Nothing," he replies and his mother takes his hand. "Mother, I'm fine, in fact I'm better than I have been in a very long time." He looks over his shoulder, and seeing that the room was now empty save for himself, Chewbacca, and his parents, gestures to the soldier standing at the door. The soldier nods and steps away, replaced by Evaan and Luke. Olos moves to his father's side and watches the expression on their faces. It had been almost ten years since they last saw Luke and even longer since they last saw Evaan.

"Your Majesties," says Evaan, bowing to them, Luke follows her lead and bows as well.

Lando simply stares at them as they rise back up, he feels numb and confused, overjoyed and saddened all at once. This is certainly not what he had been expecting, but then again, none of this was. "Luke . . . Evaan . . . how?"

Luke smiles kindly as he puts an arm around Evaan's shoulders. "It's a long story, Lando."

"And just a little complicated," says Evaan sheepishly as Luke's arm slips away.

Winter is already crying, she does not need to hear any explanation to know that one of her dearest friends is standing before her, instead she rushes to Evaan and embraces her tightly. Leia's loss only intensifies her relief at seeing Evaan again, she may have lost one friend but now she is not alone; yes, she will ask Evaan about her survival but that is not important at the moment, what is important is that she is here.

"My friend," whispers Winter as Evaan hugs her back. "My dear, dear friend."

Evaan smiles. "I've missed you too, Winter."

"Leia . . ." Winter manages to choke out and Evaan's grip becomes tighter.

"I know, Winter," she says as new tears prick her eyes. "She's with Han now, and our brothers and sisters. She isn't alone."

"I know, and that is my only comfort at the moment," says Winter as she pulls away, just then a startled yelp is heard from beside them and they look over to see Chewbacca crushing Luke against his furry chest, stroking the top of his head with his wide hand. The women have to stifle their laughter.

"Chewie," says Luke, his voice slightly muffled. "Chewie, let me go, I can't breathe!"

Chewbacca lets go of Luke enough that he can move his head but not much more.

"What's with the big welcome? It's not like you haven't seen me," says Luke as he struggles against the Wookiee's grip.

Chewbacca makes a few grunts and whines as he holds Luke.

Luke stops struggling for a moment and returns Chewbacca's embrace. "I know, I know, Chewie. It's going to be alright, I promise."

"You haven't changed at all, Chewie," says Evaan with a bright smile, drawing the Wookiee's attention away from her husband.

Chewbacca releases Luke completely and then hurries over to Evaan, leaning down he pulls her into an even tighter embrace than he had with Luke. He whines and makes a few sad noises and she buries her face into his fur, taking in his scent of oil and earth, she has missed him so very much.

"It's good to see you too, Chewie," she whispers as she Wookiee begins to stroke her head. "I heard about Han . . . I can't believe he's gone."

"Neither can I," admits Lando sadly. "And now we've lost Leia . . ."

Evaan's heart clenches at the mention of the woman she saw as her sister, it will be a very long time before she can hear her name and not feel this pain, she knows that for sure. Then her mind wanders to Rey and how at this exact moment she is hurtling towards a trap and likely certain death. She wrenches herself away from Chewbacca and faces Lando and Winter, her eyes shining with fear and love for her only child. "Rey's being lured into a trap, we need a ship," she says with the conviction of a commanding officer. "Give us one or we'll steal it."

"That sounds like Rey," says Poe as he enters, cheeks rosy and hair in a mess, as if he had just been running a marathon. "Now I know you're her mother."

Evaan cannot help but smile at the pilot. "Thank you, Poe. Now, is there a ship we can use?"

Before Poe can respond, Chewbacca responds and everyone is a little surprised.

"You're letting us have the _Falcon_?" asks Luke in disbelief. "Chewie, that's crazy."

"I'll say, that ship's rightfully mine," says Lando only to earn a roar from Chewbacca.

Evaan is the only one who truly understands the magnitude of this gift, having learned from Han of Wookiee customs; essentially he is passing on his life debt to her, Luke, and Rey and using the _Falcon_ as a symbolic token. "Chewie, you're free, you can go home and be with your family if you want."

Chewbacca nods as he lets out a few grunts and Evaan's eyes water.

"What did he say?" asks Lando curiously.

Evaan turns to him, her lips quivering. "He said he's been with his family all along."

Luke smiles brightly, he is pleased to hear what the Wookiee he thought for so long was only Han's friend actually thought of him and his family. "Then I suggest we go find our wayward pup."

* * *

Rey holds her breath as she exits hyperspace, she has not seen her home planet in almost seven years and she is both excited and terrified at seeing it again. She is excited because it was her home for so long, where she was born and raised and trained as a Jedi with her friends and father; she is terrified because it could become her and her father's final resting place. When she sees it, her heart pounds against her ribs, despite the growing cloud coverage she can see the green earth and blue water of her home; she spies the brown desert areas where the spiciest Gatalentan tea is harvested and the lush jungles where the most exotic tea is cultivated. She remembers traveling with her friends to those very jungles for a meditative retreat and swimming in the warm pools of water beneath the trees. With trembling hands she guides the X-Wing to Gatalenta's surface, recalling from her numerous trips off world where on the surface the Jedi temple is located.

She breaks through the atmosphere and is almost immediately swallowed by the clouds, she presses on turning on the fighter's exterior lights so she can see even if it is just a few feet ahead of her. The further she gets into the clouds, the darker it becomes, and once she breaks through the cloud coverage she realizes that it is going to start raining. Looking up she sees the nearly black clouds covering the normally blue sky, she almost laughs when she sees it; during her early days on Jakku she had asked about rain, saying she had seen it before on another planet but someone told her it never rained on Jakku and to forget about the rain. It would seem she had retained some small memory of her home world, despite her cousin's best attempt at making her forget.

Thinking of her cousin brought Rey back to the moment and why she is here in the first place. She quickly surveys the landscape below and determines she is maybe ten minutes away from where she used to live; Rey decides that it would probably be better if she landed near her old house and walked to the temple, otherwise she risked her only way of getting back to New Alderaan.

Behind her, R2-D2 beeps cautiously and she allows a slight grin to grace her lips.

"Don't worry, R2, I know where I'm going," she replies as she begins their descent. "Oh, I want you to stay with the ship, understand?"

R2-D2 beeps angrily.

"No, it's not an insult!" counters Rey. "I just don't want to lose you, R2. I need you stay with the ship and go get help if necessary . . . or tell Poe that I failed."

There is silence from the droid and Rey decides not to push for more conversation.

Moments later she scans the area below and sees a small house come into view, and she quickly prepares to land the fighter, her heart once again hammers against her ribcage and this time she can barely fight back the tears. The fighter lands quietly and easily in the grassy meadow just behind the house, the meadow she played in as a child but where her father did not go, back then she did not understand but now she did; she had asked her father recently after she recovered a memory of playing in the meadow with Han and Ben while he watched them why he did not join, he had told her that the meadow is where her mother died and he could not bring himself to go back there again. Rey looks at the meadow as she climbs down from the fighter, R2-D2 then ejects himself from the rear and uses his jets to hover beside her during her descent, she wonders where exactly her mother died, where the spot was. She knows so little about her mother's final days and resting place that she wants to have some connection to them, anything to maybe have a connection to the mother she never knew.

When her feet touch the ground, she reaches out and brushes the top of the grass with her bare hand, it is a little damp and slightly sticky but it is familiar and she cannot help the smile that pulls on her lips. Jakku had very little in the way of vegetation and what was there was just as rough and intimidating as the inhabitants, Ahch-To had more green on its rocky surface than she thought possible but it had seemed proud and unyielding, like the Jedi. This grass, this gentle and imperfect grass, makes her feel at home.

' _Sand defined home to Dad and grass defines home for me,'_ she thinks wryly as she begins walking through the tall blades towards the house she can see in the distance. R2-D2 rolls up beside her and she reaches out, putting a hand on his head as a way of reassuring them both that they are together and safe. When they near the house, Rey pulls out her lightsaber, she activates it and washes them both in bright blue light, R2-D2 turns on his small light on the front of his console and Rey smiles at him gratefully. They stop when they reach the back door, a worn piece of wood that seems like it should have broken long ago but is still standing, and Rey uses the Force to open it, as it creaks open she braces herself for an ambush and is suspicious when it does not come. Cautiously she nears the door, lightsaber out in front of her just in case, and she steps inside her childhood home for the first time in almost seven years.

The light from her lightsaber fills the first room she enters, it is the kitchen and dining room, tentatively she looks around and sees that everything is exactly how she last saw it: the wooden table and chairs near the window looking out on the meadow, the stone stove in the center of the room with its chimney going up through the ceiling, the wood and stone prep area nestled away in the corner. She looks down and sees the wood floors, they are covered in dust and she raises her lightsaber to cast the light farther and she is a little relieved to see the dust ahead of her is undisturbed.

"Stars, it's still the same," she whispers into the darkness.

R2-D2 then rolls up to her and then past her and through the nearest doorway into the next room, Rey curses under her breath and follows the droid, wondering what could have gotten into him. She barely has time to register what room she is in before she is blinded by firelight, she slowly opens her eyes and sees R2-D2 standing beside a large fireplace, her gaze wanders from the droid to the stone fireplace with a merry fire crackling away, and she turns off her lightsaber. The fire reminds her of when she and her father would return home from the temple, and there was always a fire going and R2-D2 was always waiting for them; her father would take off their cloaks and tell her to get washed up while he prepared dinner, then when she was done she would come out and play in front of the fire or read a book while her father cooked. She glances around and sees her father's chair to her left, the green color has faded a bit but it still looks as comfortable as ever, Rey remembers sitting in that chair whenever she could, it made her feel important and imposing like she was the ruler of the galaxy.

Rey then sits down in it, wondering if her childhood confidence will return to her if she does, once she is settled she looks around the rest of the room: the same hardwood floors run in this room and they are just as dusty as they had been in the kitchen, the three dark wood stuffed-to-absolute-capacity bookcases still sit against the wall in the back and a tan colored sofa sits just in front of it facing the fireplace, there is a lush red rug covered in grey dust beneath it and a hand carved table sits on it. There are pieces of art on the walls, covered by white cloths likely to keep them from fading, and Rey remembers what they look like without the covers; one is of the Jedi temple on Coruscant, another is of Alderaan's beach and ocean, one is of an X-Wing and Y-Wing and the final one is of a magnificent tree that seemed to change whenever Rey looked at it. She is tempted to _pull_ away the cloth and see the images she grew up with but she decides that it is better if things stay the same, forever locked in time until they can be properly freed.

It is then that she looks across from her and sees the wine red chair she was never allowed to sit in, a chair no one was allowed to even touch besides her father. Right now, it seems to be calling out to her, longing to be touched after so long, so hesitantly she stands up and reaches out, putting her hand on the velvet-like fabric of the armrest.

"Luke, what are you staring at?" asked a voice Rey recognizes from holos as her mother's.

Rey looks over and sees her father sitting in his chair, wearing a light tunic and pants, his hair slightly disheveled and his blue eyes sparkled in the firelight.

"Just you," replied Luke, smiling contentedly at his wife.

Her attention shifts to the woman in the chair and Rey sees her mother, her blonde hair falling freely and wearing a plain white nightgown. Rey's eyes go from her mother's blushing and smiling face to her swollen belly, she does not seem that far along but is obviously pregnant.

"Do you know what it is?" asked Evaan, putting a hand on her belly. She caressed it lovingly and Rey tries to imagine what it would feel like now.

Luke nodded. "A little girl."

Evaan's smile widened. "You're going to be outnumbered, Luke Skywalker."

"I don't mind," said Luke happily. "So, what will we call our little girl?"

Evaan's brow furrowed as she thought over the question. "I want to name her after something meaningful, not just a common name like everyone else."

"What did you have in mind?" asked Luke curiously.

"I was thinking about something that means something to us," she replied and Luke nodded. "Maybe after a place or person we knew."

Luke chuckled. "That's quite a few people, my dear, perhaps we should narrow it down?"

"Not after the royal family," said Evaan immediately then she reconsidered. "Well, perhaps as a middle name."

"Maybe not after my sister," said Luke thoughtfully. "She already has enough babies on New Alderaan sharing some version of her name."

Evaan chuckled. "I suppose that's true, alright, Leia's out of the running. And I don't want to name her directly after either the Queen or the Viceroy, I loved them both dearly but their names are . . . are too sacred."

Luke reached over and took Evaan's hand; his fazed through Rey as if she were not standing there, and she really is not. "What if we use their surname instead? We could honor them both that way."

"I like that," said Evaan with a soft smile and Rey watches as her father's face lights up with pride and adoration. "So we have Baby Girl Organa Skywalker, not bad but I think she needs a better first name."

"Then you come up with it, Golden Girl, I've already covered the middle name," retorted Luke, squeezing her hand. Rey sees him playing with the wedding band on her ring finger.

Evaan sat there, her hand in Luke's as she stared into the fire, obviously thinking over a possible name. "Do you remember that trip Han and I went on to Kabal?"

Luke let out an undignified snort. "I wouldn't exactly call it a trip, more like a humanitarian effort gone horribly wrong."

"Regardless, you obviously remember it," she said with a slight smirk. "Anyway, I remember I learned I was expecting this little girl under an arboray tree . . . maybe we could name her after that."

"Arboray Organa Skywalker," said Luke teasingly. "It certainly meets all of your requirements for a unique, meaningful name."

Evaan rolled her eyes. "I know it doesn't roll off the tongue like 'Luke' or 'Ben' but I was actually thinking of shortening it to a more . . . appropriate name."

"Well, 'Arbor' definitely isn't a girl's name," said Luke and Evaan nodded. "Maybe 'Ray'."

"I'd spell it differently," replied Evaan and Luke cocked an eyebrow.

"How would you spell it?" he asked curiously.

"Resh Esk Yirt," said Evaan.

"Why with an Esk?" asked Luke.

Evaan shrugged. "It's more feminine."

"Rey Organa Skywalker," said Luke with a smile and then he moved from his chair to kneeling down in front of Evaan, he placed his free hand on her belly and she placed hers on his. "She's probably Force-sensitive."

"That's fine," said Evaan as she caressed the back of his hand. "She'll have a great teacher when she's old enough." She then moved her hand up into Luke's hair. "I love you, Luke."

"I love you, too, Evaan," said Luke, leaning into her touch.

The vision ends and Rey is left standing in a dimly lit room with tears streaming down her cheeks, her breath coming in raggedly as she tries to steady herself. R2-D2 rolls up beside her, chirping worriedly before nudging her, she drops her hand away from her mother's chair a little afraid of what she might see if she stays connected to it. After all this time, she finally knows why no one was allowed to touch the chair, why it sat there completely vacant for nearly fourteen years; it was her father's way of preserving her mother's memory. If someone else had sat in it and left their essence behind, it would weaken her mother's and possibly break her bond with the chair. Rey recalls what her father said about her lightsaber, it carried a trace of every Jedi who either touched it or used it extensively, the more it was used by one the weaker the trace of the others became until they were only voices from distant memories.

"I'm sorry I ever complained," she whispers to the chair as if speaking to her mother. She looks down at the droid at her side and gently caresses the top of his dome, she is not sure why she is being so gentle with him, she has never been one to be sentimental or at least she does not think so; in the back of her mind she considers the possibility that she is trying to leave a strong enough essence behind that those she left behind will remember her. An image of Poe crying as he speaks to her corporeal form jumps into her mind before she can banish it and she struggled against crying.

R2-D2 beeps gently and it breaks her trance.

"I have to go now, R2," she says quietly, leaning down to face the droid, her hand still on top of his dome. "I want you to stay here and guard the house and the ship . . . and if I don't come back in a few hours . . . I want you to take off and head back to New Alderaan."

The droid protests loudly and Rey struggles to reassure him, especially when he offers to let her tune him up if she promises not to leave. She throws her arms around the droid and hugs him; she is terrified to leave without him just as she is terrified to lose her father, a feeling that seems irreconcilable. Her mind wanders to her uncle and how brave he had been, even when facing his own son, and then she sees her aunt and how her last thoughts had been kind and loving even as she lay dying as a result of a friend's blaster. Rey knows if she is to even stand a chance against Kylo Ren she will have to have a brave spirit and a kind attitude, something that will disarm her cousin and honor the aunt she loved and lost. With new resolve, she removes herself from around R2-D2, one of the last physical members of her family, and heads for the front door her shoulders squared as she readies for what is to come. When she reaches the door, Rey spares the room one last sweeping look before venturing into the night.


	16. Chapter 16

"This isn't up for debate, Dameron!" rages Evaan as they prepare for the journey to Gatalenta. She has changed out of her prisoner garb and donned a bright orange jumpsuit and restyled her hair to a more Alderaanian look; she also secured a special patch for her suit indicating that she is part of the New Alderaan Starfleet as well as the New Republic. "I know this ship as well as my own Y-Wing, there's no way I'm letting some inexperienced mop of curls pilot it!"

Poe unconsciously runs a hand through his dark curls. "With all due respect, Commander Skywalker, I've been given command of two fighter squadrons and built my X-Wing from the ground up; if anyone has more experience, it's me!"

Evaan rolls her eyes as she stuffs a large stack of rations into a duffle bag. "Poe, I flew the _Falcon_ during an active battle against the Empire, and it didn't get a single scratch; Lando and Han both managed to tear the outer hull on multiple occasions, which clearly means she prefers a female pilot to a male."

"What the hell are you talking about?" asks Poe a little clueless. "A ship can't tell who's flying it and who isn't."

"And that's why I'm the more experienced pilot," says Evaan with a smirk as she heads up the ramp with the duffle bag.

Poe watches her go into the _Falcon_ , still a little dumbfounded by the argument and he gets a distinct impression that she is where Rey inherited her confidence and hardheadedness. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Luke approach, stopping beside him just as Evaan's boots move from view.

"You lost, I see," says Luke simply and Poe nods. The Jedi has also changed but into a grey tunic and black pants rather than an orange jumpsuit like his wife. His hair and beard have been tamed but the bruises on his face are still clearly visible like they are on Evaan. "Well, that's one of the downfalls of Alderaanian women, they can't be swayed from anything no matter what you say."

Poe smiles just slightly. "Rey's only half Alderaanian and twice as stubborn as most women I've encountered, I can only imagine how it is for you to have a full-blooded Alderaanian wife."

"I wouldn't change it for the galaxy," says Luke before clapping Poe on the back with his mechanical hand, applying just enough pressure to make him stumble a little off balance. "You can use the time you would've spent piloting to explain to me your intentions concerning my daughter."

"Luke, don't tell me you're actually trying to scare the boy, are you?" asks Lando as he strides towards them, his cape billowing out around him.

' _All these years and he still wears a cape,'_ thinks Luke, shaking his head. "And if I am?"

"Then you'll want to reconsider your tactics," says Lando with a smirk. "For instance, every single time one of my daughters found a guy she was really interested in, I would send my personal guards to pick him up wherever he was and bring him to a room where he was interrogated for hours. The ones that didn't breakdown crying and begging were allowed to date my daughters."

Luke bursts out laughing while Poe looks like he is going to be sick.

"Didn't those guys warn the others?" asks Poe, a little hopefully.

Lando shakes his head. "Nope, not a single one of them opened their mouths. I instructed my guards to scare them silent and make them swear to never tell anyone what happened. All of them stayed quiet about it, even the ones that were able to date my daughters. Now my son-in-laws have a bond none of their wives understands, they all know what they had to go through to get to that point, so they have a deep respect for each other. I think it worked out for the best."

"I'll definitely keep that in mind," says Luke as he looks at Poe who is looking torn between being scared and being brave. "All Poe here has to worry about is a few well-executed mind tricks, nothing too scary."

Poe looks at him incredulously while Lando snickers.

"If you three wives are finished gossiping, we have a mission to get underway," calls Evaan from the _Falcon_ 's ramp, her arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. They turn back to her, all looking a little guilty. "Poe get the blasters, Luke move the rest of the cargo on to the ship. We should have been airborne ten minutes ago!" She then heads back into the ship.

"Ten minutes ago you were still trying to figure out your new blaster," mutters Luke and the other two men try to smother their laughter.

"I heard that!" says Evaan, her voice coming from directly inside the ship and the men stop almost immediately. "Now hurry up or I'll show you exactly how I can use my new blaster."

"Gods she's scary," says Poe a little nervously.

Lando and Luke just shrug, with both of them being married to Alderaanian women they know where the passion and emotions come from; they have both learned from years of experience that most of the time their wives' bark has no bite. It is those few encounters with their break down that prevents them from admitting anything to Poe.

"You'll get used to it," says Lando simply. "You handled Leia pretty well, so Evaan won't be any trouble. Just be respectful and don't, under any circumstances, criticize her piloting skills. The only people allowed to do that are Han and Luke."

"And that's only when she's really screwed something up," says Luke with a vacant look in his eyes, like he is remembering something he would rather forget. "Poe, you should probably do as she says and get the blasters on the ship. I'll be right behind you."

Poe nods and heads over to the chest with the blasters in it, carrying it like it weighed nothing and both Lando and Luke wishes they could still do that. It makes their bodies hurt just thinking about it.

Luke watches him for a few moments and then he turns to Lando, his hand outstretched. "I guess this is goodbye, Viceroy."

"Only for now," says Lando as he shakes Luke's hand. "When you get back, I'll probably be a grandpa again."

Luke's eyes go wide. "Dehleah went into labor already?"

Lando cocks an eyebrow as he drops the handshake. "How did you . . . never mind, I don't even want to discuss the Force with you right now, but yes she went into labor shortly after . . . after Leia's assassination. I don't want to think it was the shock but it very well could have been, and anyway she's only two weeks early."

"She'll be fine," says Luke sternly, putting a hand on Lando's shoulder. "Have a little faith."

"Will it be like Tyren and Rey?" asks Lando and Luke shakes his head, visible relief flooding his face. "That's one load off my mind."

Luke wants to ask him why he is so concerned about having another Force-sensitive in his family; Tyren had not been killed because he could use the Force, but then again Luke could understand why someone would think that way. Lando does not have any prejudice against Jedi or those who can use the Force; he just does not want to put his family through that pain again of losing someone they love to something they cannot understand. "We'll be back soon," says Luke with a slight smile. "And we'll have Rey with us when we return."

"Good," says Lando sternly. "If you have any trouble, have BB-8 contact me, I'll send the fleet in."

"I'll keep that in mind," says Luke as he turns to the ship and as he walks, _levitates_ the remaining cargo and _moves_ it into the ship. He puts the cargo down in its designated spaces moments after emerging on the _Falcon_ , smirking when he sees Poe's awestruck expression, once that is finished he heads to the cockpit where he can feel waves of anxiety rolling off of Evaan.

He stands at the entrance quietly, watching as she and Chewbacca begin takeoff sequences, he notices that Evaan's hands are shaking; that is the only outward indication that she is truly terrified. Quietly he walks over behind her chair and leans down, kissing the top of her head softly and she stops working for just a moment to turn to him, he can see the fear and the worry in her eyes. Luke reaches over and cups her face, he runs his thumb over her cheek in soft caresses and she leans into his touch. It seems to reassure her and she subtly kisses his palm, he kisses her forehead before pulling away, heading back to the sitting area where Poe is still waiting.

"Where's your friend Finn and BB-8?" asks Luke as he sits down at the table, wincing slightly.

"BB-8's rolling around trying to calm himself down and Finn's holding down the fort at the palace, Threepio's still there too," replies Poe as he raps his fingers on the table. "He wanted to come, especially when I told him Rey was in trouble but I told him that he was needed on New Alderaan." He runs a shaky hand through his hair, giving his curls a wild appearance. "Connix may be part of something more and I didn't want all of us to be off-world at once, just in case something happens. I know Olos's there and so are my men but . . . I trust Finn and I trust his judgment, that's the only reason I'm even sitting here right now."

Luke considers him carefully. "So my daughter being in danger has nothing to do with it?"

Poe looks slightly irritated and a little anguished. "No, I mean, yes she is but . . . damn it. After everything that's happened I just . . . I wouldn't feel right leaving her people alone without some kind of protection and I don't want Finn exposed to Ren so soon either."

"You haven't changed at all, Poe," says Luke gently and Poe looks at him curiously. "Since you were little, you've always made a conscious effort to take care of as many people as possible and doing the right thing."

Poe gives him a brief smile as his eyes dart around the room, taking in as much as he can, like he does not think he will ever be back on the ship. "I always wanted to fly this thing, ever since I saw it when I was a kid." He chuckles as he looks towards the cockpit. "Looks like that won't happen so long as Evaan's here."

Luke knows Poe is only teasing but he cannot help the swelling of emotion in his chest as the words tumble around in his head, reminding him once again how incredibly lucky he is that his wife is indeed with him. He looks back towards the cockpit, remembering how scared Evaan had been when he saw her but at the same time how brave she is being in the face of everything she has been and what she is going through. Her resiliency is part of why he fell in love with her.

"So are you going to tell me how she's alive?" asks Poe, shaking Luke from his thoughts.

He looks at him and shakes his head. "No, that's her story to tell and I'm sure you're going to hear it soon enough."

"Fair enough," says Poe as he leans back and rests his head against the wall. "By the way, I can see why you married her, she's sweet in her own way and headstrong. Kind of like Leia."

Luke chuckles softly, ignoring the pain in his heart at the mention of his sister. "She's like Leia when she has to be but most of the time she's just Evaan, and that can be nearly as terrifying."

"How so?" asks Poe curiously.

"Well, there was this one time when I went off by myself and got myself captured," says Luke slowly as if waiting for someone to reprimand him for it yet again. "I had been looking for Jedi relics and decided to go to the temple on Coruscant, which at the time was the center of the Empire. Well, a farm boy turned Rebel couldn't just waltz right into the capital of the Empire so I went to Nar Shaddaa to hire someone who could smuggle me in; that was a bad idea to begin with. Anyway, a thief stole my lightsaber and I chased after him, which led right to Grakkus the Hutt, the crime lord of the planet. He wanted my lightsaber and me and when I refused, I was knocked unconscious. When I came to, I was in some Jedi museum and Grakkus told me to open this holocron or die; I did as I was told and opened it, plus a few others, and that was all he needed before sending me down to this arena where I would fight to the death with other combatants."

"How'd you do?" asks Poe a little too eagerly.

"Badly," replies Luke, shaking his head. "I was terrible, I had no idea what I was doing and just swinging my weapon, another lightsaber, hoping I would hit something. There was this one guy who was helping me but that only lasted until the main event, where I faced off with this creature from Mustafar named Kongo the Disemboweler. I tried to use the Force but was knocked aside and then grabbed by Kongo, he was about to kill me when the man who helped me before revealed himself to be an Imperial officer and I as well as others were under arrest. Stormtroopers were everywhere and I was in the middle of it, praying for a miracle and it came in the form of an electromagnetic pulse by Grakkus, which disabled the weapons but they still kept coming." He shakes his head again. "It was utter chaos, I couldn't tell where the exit was and I was completely surrounded by enemies. R2 showed up and gave me back my lightsaber, which I had lost at some point, and I used that to cut down as many as I could before running for the nearest exit. That was when Leia, Han, and Evaan come running up with lightsabers. When Evaan saw me she looked torn between kissing me and punching me, and I wouldn't have blamed her for that. Anyway, we managed to get off the planet and back on the _Falcon_ before we were killed or arrested."

"What did Evaan do to you after?" asks Poe with a sly grin.

Luke looks a little hesitant to answer but he complies. "When we got on the ship, she didn't say a word to me, Leia raged about how I had scared her to death and how I should have known better and all the while Evaan is just silent and treating me coldly. That scared me more than Leia's threats of introducing her blaster to my little lightsaber." He chuckles and shakes his head. "Han had to take her blaster he was so convinced she would do it."

"Sounds entertaining," comments Poe, his grin widening as he imagines the four of them in the ship, Han and Leia shouting while Evaan glowers in the corner and Luke just looks helpless. "What happened then?"

"Leia and Han left, now arguing and Evaan and I simply looked at each other," replies Luke as he glances in the direction of the cockpit. "I had never felt so small and so stupid in my entire life; without saying a word she conveyed so much anger and disappointment with just the way she looked at me that I vowed never to do something like that again."

Poe struggles not to laugh at the thought of Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker being chastised simply by a woman glaring at him. "So you were cowed by a look."

Luke rolls his eyes. "Poe, there's something you need to understand about Evaan, she is normally very vocal about something if she needs to be and very rarely does she not voice her opinion. Not as creatively or as forcefully as Leia but you usually know what Evaan is thinking. To have her remain completely silent and just look scared me because I knew I had screwed up so badly she was not sure what to tell me." He then smiles. "After a little while, when everything had calmed down, she came up to me and hugged me as tight as she could and then kissed me. When she pulled away she said, 'I'm glad you're alive.' And I knew I was forgiven."

"Do you think she plans on doing the same when we find Rey?" asks Poe and as soon as the words leave his mouth he knows he should not have said it.

"What do you think, Poe?" asks Luke a little coldly.

"I'm sorry," mutters Poe, looking down at his hands. "I didn't mean to make light of the situation."

Luke nods. "I know, it's easy to make a joke in a difficult situation, especially when you're scared. Just remember, everyone has their own way of dealing with this kind of situation."

"What do you do?" asks Poe, hoping to change the subject or at least make this one more pleasant.

Luke reaches under the table and flips a switch, activating the table's holographic projector, and suddenly there are small holographic creatures on the table. "Dejarik."

* * *

The skies break open and unleash an unrelenting torrent of rain, the warm air contrasts the cool rain and the animals that are normally seen at this time of night are no where to be found, likely hiding from the downpour. Rey envies them as she trudges through the rain, completely soaked and shaking as she nears the temple where she spent so much of her life. The worn stone path she walks on is surrounded by trees and their low hanging branches get in her way, so she uses the Force to gently _lift_ them out of her way as she continues walking towards the temple. She can sense the strong presence it has in the Force and she can feel another darker presence there as well, she does not investigate it further, knowing already that it is Kylo Ren. A gust of wind blows more rain in her face, knocking off the hood of her cloak and causing her loose hair to become plastered to her head. The sudden rush of rain and wind makes her lose her concentration and a tree branch slaps her face, the rain quickly quells the sharp sting of the hit so she continues on, _pushing_ the branches out of her way until she breaks through the trees and stands in a large clearing; even in the darkness she can make out the outline of the temple, but there is something wrong with it. Rey looks down at the path, a strong essence emanates from it and she is compelled to kneel down and touch it; she closes her eyes and when her fingertips touch the stone she feels the Force rush around her. She opens her eyes and falls over on her rear when a roaring fire greets her.

' _The temple!'_ she realizes as she listens to the crackling of the fire as it devours the temple and the hiss of the rain hitting the flames. As she watches the fire, she barely registers that someone is beside her; looking over she sees R2-D2 and her father, her father is on his knees his eyes completely glued on the sight of the burning temple. She can see the pain and anger in his eyes as he watched the destruction of his life's work, there is something else underlining what she sees and she recognizes it as the same thing she saw that day when they were forced apart on Ahch-To: Fear.

Luke muttered one word, a single word, "Rey."

The image suddenly dissipates and Rey is left sitting on the wet stones as rain washes over her like ocean waves. She has some trouble catching her breath and it takes her a moment to realize that the tightness in her chest is because of her struggle against crying. It hurts her more than she can say to hear how scared her father had been that night and she wishes she could see him again; her heavy heart is ready to break from the overwhelming pain of loss.

Suddenly, she is _pulled_ towards the temple and it catches her so off guard that she is unable to stop it. Between the rain and the speed she is nearly blind, unable to see exactly where she is going and who is _pulling_ her, at least right away. She then feels a physical hand closing around her throat and when her mind catches up with her body, she sees Kylo Ren's bare and scarred face looking at her, and realizes it is his gloved hand wrapped around her throat.

"Rey Skywalker," he says coldly before dropping her to the ground. "Your emotions have betrayed you."

"Where's my father?" she demands as she scrambles to her feet, almost slipping in the puddles around her. "What have you done with him, Kylo?"

He smirks, the scar on his face twisting it to something more sinister. "You sound just like he did that night, the night I ended his corrupt order." Kylo cannot help but smile when he sees her confused expression. "Stupid child, you still don't understand anything."

Finally, it dawns on Rey that she has been led her for a reason, and it is not to try and save her father's life. She says nothing, not wanting to completely betray her humiliation to her cousin, and she looks around where they are standing; they are in the courtyard of the temple, surrounded by crumbling walls and the feeling of death, she can feel the presence of her fallen friends and hear their anguished cries. The feeling nearly overwhelms her and she has to take a few deep breaths to keep herself from drowning in it.

"You are as predictable as your father," continues Kylo as he watches her. "Your concern and love make you weak."

Rey glares at him. "And your arrogance is your weakness, Kylo."

Kylo simply stares at her, his dark eyes a bottomless chasm. "You might have been trained, Skywalker but you are still a Padawan." He then lets out a mirthless chuckle. "What useless words: Youngling, Padawan, Knight, Master. They're all just pointless titles given to followers of a corrupt order. An order that fell away from its true teachings long ago." Kylo's eyes bore into Rey's. "Did your father tell you that? Did he tell you that all of your friends, those so called Jedi died corrupt and manipulated?"

Rey reaches for her lightsaber but Kylo sees her and _pushes_ her to the ground, he then quickly ignites his lightsaber and rushes towards her, pointing the blood red blade at her chest just over her heart. She sees the blade and is reminded that it is the same one that struck down each and every one of her friends, her father's students, and with the gesture of him pointing it at her heart he is telling her that she can easily share their fate. She cannot help the fear that creeps up her spine.

"You're pathetic," he snarls, looking down at her cruelly before pulling his lightsaber away. "Get up, Skywalker, I want to see if you've improved."

Without a second thought, Rey scrambles to her feet and immediately pulls out her lightsaber, activating the sky blue blade. Her cousin's eyes lock on the plasma blade, she can see the greed and anger, he hates her for having that lightsaber the one he believes to be his inheritance. She smirks as she spins the lightsaber in her hand.

Kylo crosses the short distance between them and raises his lightsaber, and she barely has time to bring hers up in defense, locking blades for a moment before she throws her weight behind her blade and causes him to fall down before taking off towards a pillar far away from the center of the courtyard. She hides behind it, knowing it will not do much when Kylo finds her, but she needs a moment to collect her racing thoughts. Rey is relieved that her father is not in fact about to be murdered by her cousin but at the same time, she is acutely incensed about being fooled.

' _Grandfather was right, I should have looked at this harder,'_ she thinks bitterly. It cuts her deeply that he so easily manipulated her.

"You can't hide from me, Skywalker," says Kylo loudly over the roar of the rain. "Your presence in the Force is like a guiding star."

Rey's heart pounds hard in her chest.

"Changing your memories was the easy part," continues Kylo and Rey can _feel_ him moving around the courtyard. "Hiding your presence was more of a challenge, but I was more than capable of doing it, after some guidance from the Supreme Leader. Do you want to know how I was able to so easily change your mind?" His presence is now on a direct path with her pillar. "You were so emotionally drained, so scared, you were like a five year old and so I used that to make you believe you had been left on Jakku when you were a young child. Doing so required some advanced Force manipulation but I did very well for a first try. I also altered a few more memories to reinforce the fact. That doll you had, the one that was supposed to be a pilot, it was yours from when you were little. I took it from your home and gave it to you when you were leaving. That ship you saw was mine, leaving you to live out the rest of your life as a scavenger." He draws nearer. "I was kind enough to leave you with some survival skills, such as knowing how to identify pieces of ships and how to repair machines. I thought it would serve you well there and clearly I was right."

Rey holds her breath as she _reaches_ out, searching for anything she can use as a weapon against Kylo, she does not want to confront him directly. Not yet. She finds a piece of the temple and _lifts_ it, she _feels_ out Kylo's presence and propels the rock in that direction; she expects to hear his body and the stone hit the ground, she hears something and as she peeks around the pillar she sees the stone broken in two pieces in the courtyard. Rey realizes that Kylo is likely standing behind her and when she uses the Force, she can fill a presence exactly where she thought, so she tries to take off running only for a hand to once again close around her throat. She finds herself staring up in his cold eyes and deadpanned expression, like killing her would be a complete bore. In her effort to pull off his hand she drops her lightsaber, he begins to squeeze on her windpipe and she starts to see spots flashing before her eyes; her attempts become more desperate and she suddenly remembers her fighting lesson with Poe, gathering enough sense she brings up her fist in a quick punch and it is enough to shock Kylo and he drops her as he stumbles back. Rey wastes no time and takes off running again, this time heading for the entrance of the temple. She makes it halfway up the stairs when an invisible force grips her ankle and pulls her down, when her body hits the stone steps the breath is knocked from her lungs and she struggles to breathe.

"What's wrong, Skywalker?" mocks Kylo from below. "You were so sure about fighting me before, as cocky as Han Solo. What happened? Did you finally realize you're no match for me? Get back down and fight me!"

Rey stares up at the dark sky, the rain relentless as it comes down on her. She is as confused as he is as to why she is so scared of facing him, when only hours before she had been ready to tear his arms off. It then hits her that her father is safe: she has no reason to fight. When she had fought him before it had because she was angry and scared for Finn's life, this time she had been angry and scared for her father's life.

"I started the temple fire near your mother's grave," taunts Kylo, his voice sounding slightly distorted in the rain. "I heard the glass on her coffin explode when the flames reached it. It was a shame really, I didn't have anything against your mother, she was always nice to me; but I had to make sure there was nothing left of her for your father to mourn."

"What did my father do that was so horrible?!" shouts Rey when she takes her first full breath. She stands up on shaky legs and stares down at the man in black. "All he was trying to do was bring back the Jedi and raise me! I can't think of him doing anything terrible enough to deserve what your keeper inflicted on him."

Kylo's eyes narrow. "He lied to me! To us! To the whole galaxy! The Jedi are liars and hypocrites, not the beloved heroes they portrayed throughout history."

"He didn't know!" argues Rey loudly. "He was just doing as the Masters instructed."

"He knew!" counters Kylo, his face twisting with bitter rage. "He knew and did nothing to change it. Your crooked Jedi Order came to an end only when I killed its followers and now, I am the last true Jedi, like my grandfather."

 _I thought I wasn't the Jedi I should have been and I when I was faced with my greatest fear, I went searching for another source of power._

"He wasn't a revolutionary," says Rey carefully as she unclips her cloak, it sinks to the ground with a soggy thud. "He was a scared man who went looking for power. He listened to what someone else fed him because he was desperate to save our grandmother."

"How dare you say that about him!" rages Kylo. "My grandfather wouldn't have been so easily shaken up by something like someone's death."

"Shows how little you know," she says with a smirk as she takes a step down, her eyes flitting towards the silver hilt of her lightsaber.

Kylo's expression turns deadly and Rey _reaches_ for her lightsaber, just then a piece of debris comes flying at her head and she barely leaps out of the way before it hits. She flips in the air, her lightsaber comes flying to her hand and as she lands she activates the blade before whirling around to face Kylo. More pieces of debris come flying at her and she quickly uses her lightsaber to break them, advancing forward with each swing; it vaguely reminds her of fighting with the remote. When she gains some ground, she knocks down the remaining debris with a wave of her hand, surprising Kylo a great deal but he quickly recovers and takes up an attack stance. They lunge at each other and their blades lock, Rey _pushes_ him back a few inches and brings her lightsaber up, Kylo blocks it and they part before they begin swinging. This time their blades lock for barely a second before the next swing, Rey leads the attack, guiding Kylo in a twisted dance of her own design as she looks for an opening to strike.

"You're more controlled," notes Kylo, almost sounding proud. "You really have improved, Skywalker. Too bad it was all in vain." He lowers his lightsaber and aims for her legs, Rey jumps straight up in the air, landing a few inches away but Kylo is relentless and continues his assault of aiming for her lower body.

She continues jumping out of the way, amazed that she has not slipped in a puddle by now, and keeps a lookout for an opening. She sees a pillar to her left and begins heading that way, Kylo still pursues her as she changes direction, she then takes off running and so does he; she heads directly for the pillar, and at the last second she jumps up, moving so her feet touch the pillar and she walks up for a few seconds before propelling herself backwards in an arcing flip. Rey lands behind her cousin and she _pushes_ him into the pillar, _holding_ him there.

"Did you take pleasure in burning my mother's corpse?" she asks, squeezing her hand slightly and Kylo began struggling and choking. "What about my father? Were you happy to see him a broken man?"

Her grip tightens.

"Answer me," she hisses as he writhes under her power, the more she looks at him the angrier she becomes. "You tore my family apart, you ripped me from my father's arms and put me through hell!"

She _pulls_ him forward then slams him against the pillar. "Why did you let me live?! Why?!"

Kylo struggles against her grip and it is then that she realizes there are others nearby, dark presences that are drawing closer. Glancing around she sees several people in black clothing and masks standing around the courtyard, they look enough like Kylo for her to understand they are the Knights of Ren. Her grip tightens even more.

"Don't kill me," begs Kylo, barely choking the words out. She looks in his eyes and sees something familiar. "We're cousins, Rey, we're family."

"And Han was family too," sneers Rey as her hand closes further. "He was your father and my uncle and you killed him in cold blood. He reached out to you, he wanted to save you because your mother thought you could be saved." She lets out a dark chuckle. "Her last words were for you, Kylo. She thought there was still good in you."

The familiar light in Kylo's eyes grows at the mention of his mother. "What do you mean 'her last words'?"

Rey's heart breaks again as she thinks about her aunt, lying in her arms as she spoke words about her son in her last moments in this plane. She closes her eyes, unable to face him with her obvious grief. "She's dead! Your First Order had her killed and they used Connix to do it."

When she opens her eyes, she is no longer staring at the heartless Kylo Ren but instead at the brokenhearted Ben Solo. The change disarms her so much that she loses her concentration and drops him; he lands on the ground with a muffled thud and just sits there, looking up at her like he is a helpless child. Rey looks down at him curiously, she is unsure whether or not he is playing a trick on her and she is not about to let her guard down again.

"Please tell me you're lying, Rey," Ben begs as he stares up at his cousin. "Please tell me you're playing a mean joke."

"Why would I lie about my aunt being murdered?" she demands coldly. "And why are you even surprised? You knew your organization would go after her eventually, didn't you?"

"He promised me he wouldn't," whispers Ben and she can barely hear him over the sound of the rain. "He said she'd be safe."

" _Do it now,_ " hisses a cold voice. " _Kill him now. He's an easy target, unarmed and desperate to join his parents. Kill him, Rey, and take his place at my side._ "

Time seems to slow down as Rey considers the voice's words. She looks at Ben, still sitting on the ground with his lightsaber flung away somewhere else, besides he does look incredibly sad and beyond hope. The lightsaber in her hand twitches.

" _He took away your family,_ " the voice continues. " _He killed your uncle, destroyed your mother's grave, and tore you away from your father._ "

As the voice speaks, images flash in her mind of her uncle's murder, of the burning temple where her mother was buried, of her flying away from Gatalenta in Kylo's ship.

" _He left you to die on that planet, without even the comfort of your memories._ "

Long, hot days on Jakku, scavenging for hours for just enough to get her through another day; cold nights spent shivering in a hammock while her stomach growled loudly, clutching a doll that could not take away her pain. The constant headaches that plagued her when she was at her weakest, preventing her from getting any food or water for a few days; the gnawing pangs of loneliness whenever she put another mark on the wall.

" _He deserves to die. He's destroyed everything you've ever loved._ "

Loved. The word triggers something in Rey's darkened heart.

She remembers watching Han and Leia dancing in their living room after a long day, while she and Ben watched from behind a couch, they were found and instead of being angry they started dancing with them instead. Leia and Ben danced gracefully while Han and Rey spun and twirled like a storm. Her father entered then, smiling at them and Rey went over, dragging him onto the "dance floor" where he had her stand on his feet while he directed their dance. The image switches to one of Rey dueling Nyrissa while the others watched, cheering her on as she attempted the new style she had just learned, their voices echo around her and she smiles despite her anger. Then she hears a voice, a soft voice that sings a song she has grown up with, but the voice is not one she can distinctly remember; the only thing she knows about it is the warm feeling she gets when she hears it.

"I've been loved," she says out loud. "I've been loved by so many people."

Now Finn and Poe come to her mind, the two of them laughing and joking as she rolls her eyes before joining in with the laughter. She can feel Poe's warm gaze on her as strongly as if he were standing behind her that very moment, and she desperately wishes it were true. She had felt truly loved when she met them, her friends, and her first friends in such a long time.

"And I'm still loved," she says with conviction. "He hasn't taken that away from me."

" _But he will!_ " insists the voice but she can sense the desperation.

"And I'll die before I let that happen," says Rey sternly and the voice and the darkness in her heart dissipates. Her gaze softens as she looks at her cousin, he looks so helpless and in need of someone to care. "Ben, we need to get you home."

Ben looks up at her. "Do you mean that?"

Rey nods.

"But I don't have a home," says Ben as he rises to his feet. "Not with Mother and Father both dead."

"You have a home with me and Dad," says Rey kindly as he draws closer. "We can and will help you, Ben, please trust me."

"I do trust you," says Ben with a kind smile but then Rey sees something in his eyes and before she can defend herself, she is _thrown_ back into the nearest stone wall and sinks to the ground.

Her vision blurs and spins as she tries to regain her bearings, and it takes her a few moments to fully comprehend what just happened. She had been tricked again and now, she is likely going to die. Rey flexes her hands and cannot feel her lightsaber in either of them, which means it is probably back near Kylo's location and she is too confused to focus on getting it back at the moment.

"You're such a sad creature, Skywalker," says Kylo as he nears her position, she hears him ignite his lightsaber, "but don't worry, I'll end your suffering."

' _Dad, I'm sorry,'_ she thinks as she watches with slightly double vision as Kylo raises his lightsaber, readying the killing blow.

" _Don't give up, Rey!_ "

" _We're still here!_ "

" _You can't die yet!_ "

Rey looks for the source of the voices but finds nothing, except the silver outline of her lightsaber sitting just a few feet away. With the last ounce of her resolve, she _summons_ it and activates the blade just as Kylo brings his down in a sweeping motion, in an instant she brings up her blade and severs both of his hands just above the wrist. It all happens so fast that Rey barely registers what she has done until Kylo begins screaming and backs away from her, almost tripping over himself in his effort to get away. Rey looks down and sees his severed hands sitting between her spread out legs, his lightsaber hilt is still gripped in his left hand.

Kylo's screams bring her back to the moment and now she sees his followers closing in on them, their weapons drawn and aimed at her and she prepares to fight even though she can barely stand. It is then that she sees blue and white lights floating above them, cutting through the darkness of the night. She looks up and watches with rapt attention as the lights come down towards the ground, slowly taking shape into something more recognizable. Rey looks back at Kylo and his followers, all of them are now looking at the lights as if they cannot tear their eyes away.

Two of the lights come directly in front of Rey and when they land on the on the ground, the lights are now Nyrissa and Tyren.

"Well, if it isn't Ben Solo," says Nyrissa scathingly. "All grown up and still whining about life it seems."

"Nyrissa," says Rey softly and the ghost of her friend turns to look at her, flashing her a dazzling smile.

"Hey there, sweetling," says Nyrissa lovingly. "You've done enough, just sit back and let us handle this."

Rey shakes her head. "But—"

"Listen to her, Rey," says Tyren sternly. "We've got this."

"Calrissian's right," says Esten as he materializes just behind one of the Knights of Ren. "We have this covered, Rey, just calm down."

"This is a trick!" cries Kylo as he looks up at the ghosts before glaring at Rey. "Your mind trick won't save you, Skywalker!"

Rey smirks. "I'm not doing this, Kylo."

This seems to terrify Kylo.

Jujun, a Rodian, then materializes beside Esten and his starry grey eyes are narrowed at Kylo. "You need to leave, Ben, you're not welcome here."

Rey watches in slight disbelief as more of her friends materialize: Pan, Wenick, Ursula, Lisome, Venchi, Crete, Arrgin, and so many more. They move through the Knights of Ren and stand beside Nyrissa and Tyren, forming a barrier between Rey and her enemies.

"We died protecting the Jedi and Rey from you," says Crete, her strong Twi'leki accent a balm to Rey's soul, "and we would gladly lay down our lives again for those causes. Not even death can stop us from protecting our little _numa_."

The Knights of Ren look to their leader who is still on the ground, looking up at his first victims as if fully seeing them for the first time. The Knights raise their weapons once again but Kylo stands up and shakes his head, his arms brought in to his chest as if he can hide his amputated limbs. One of his Knights comes forward and Kylo gives a sharp nod, the Knight gives a signal to the other six and then they head away into the storm. Kylo looks back briefly at her from over his shoulder and as the ghosts glare back at him, he turns back.

Rey lets out a shaky breath, completely expecting one of the Knights to come running back and kill her, but as each second passed without an attack she began to relax and watches as more of her friends come back. Her heart almost breaks when the group of younglings materializes, their little faces smiling at her and she manages to smile back. She tries to stand but her body is too drained and her injuries too severe to allow that, her friends swarm around her as she slumps back against the wall.

"It's okay, Rey," says Tyren encouragingly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You can rest, we'll watch over you."

"You're an uncle," says Rey, her tongue a little heavy as she speaks. "And Dehleah is about to become a mother."

Tyren smiles broadly. "I know."

"You've been so brave," says Nyrissa proudly as she sits beside her. "Just rest now, you've earned it."

"I'm sorry," whispers Rey, tears forming in her eyes. "I should've done more to save you, all of you. I'm so, so sorry."

Crete kneels down in front of her, smiling. "Don't be, Rey, we made our choices and have lived with them ever since. We're just glad at least one of us is still here."

Rey sees the younglings coming closer and she feels overwhelming guilt, her life had been protected when their lives were so much more important. They kneel down and crawl closer, forming a small semi-circle around her while the others sit down around her.

"Don't feel bad, Rey."

"We're happy."

"It's so nice here."

"I should've done something," she mourns only to have her friends shake their heads.

"Don't focus too much on what happened," advises Jujun. "You can't change the past but you can learn from it."

"I'm so tired," sighs Rey, resting her head against the wall.

Nyrissa giggles. "I thought so, now please rest, Rey. We'll be here."

Rey nods numbly and her eyes fall shut almost immediately. As she falls asleep, she thinks that she can hear the roar of an engine.


	17. Chapter 17

" _Mirrorbright, shines the moon, its glow as soft as an ember,"_ sings a voice, the words stir Rey from her slumber but she does not open her eyes. _"When the moon is mirrorbright, take this time to remember those you have loved but are gone, those who kept you safe and warm."_ A hand gently caresses the top of her head, almost hesitantly, as if afraid of hurting her. _"The mirrorbright moon lets you see those who have ceased to be. Mirrorbright shines the moon, as fires die in their embers. Those you loved are with you still—the mirrorbright will help you remember."_

She knows that song; it had been part of her dreams growing up, like a long forgotten memory that wanted to be remembered. She recalls hearing her aunt sing it to her and to Ben, but her voice was not like this one, this one is meant to sing and it is this singing voice that has flitted in and out of her dreams. Tentatively she opens her eyes, wondering if she will see anyone beside her, and when she does she sees a familiar face. "Mom?" she asks, her voice soft and slightly hoarse.

Evaan smiles, her hand still caressing the top of Rey's head. "Yes Rey, now go back to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Alright," sighs Rey as she settles back down against what she recognizes as a bed, a soft and heavy blanket is brought up around her shoulders and she moves towards the warm body beside her, falling asleep before she remembers her mother is supposed to be dead.

* * *

When she opens her eyes again, her mother is not beside her but she still hears her voice, and she hears her father's as well, distantly in another room. Carefully, Rey shifts to a sitting position, allowing her mind to catch up to her body's movements before she moves to the edge of the bed and puts both feet on the floor. She is vaguely aware of the fact that she is in a dry tunic and pants rather than her soaking wet Jedi robes.

Something beeps happily and she looks to her left and sees R2-D2 standing guard over her, she smiles at the droid who then comes rolling over to her side, bumping her leg affectionately. Rey caresses his dome once again, still smiling. "I'm glad to see you, too."

The astromech beeps a few more times and she leans over, embracing him tightly. It is a relief to see that he is all right and that Kylo and his Knights did not harm him in any way.

Rey notices a glowlamp sitting across from her, casting the room in a dim light, enough to see by but not enough to cause her eyes any discomfort. She looks around noting that she appears to be a bedroom, a decent sized one at that, with holoframes and faded posters on the walls; her gaze moves from the walls to the furniture, finding a well made dresser across from her position with the glowlamp resting on top, she then sees a small chair and bookcase near a window and finally she looks at the bed she is sitting on. It suddenly hits her where she is: she is back home.

Tentatively, Rey stands up and just as quickly falls back on to the bed, clutching her head in her hands as she tries to make the spinning stop. When it did, she tries again and this time is able to stand upright; a small chill works its way into her skin and she reaches down for the blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders before she heads out of her room. Rey puts a hand on top of R2-D2's dome and together they head down the hallway towards the sound of her parents' voices, being extremely careful not to make a sound. They come to a corner and Rey is momentarily blinded by firelight; when her eyes adjust she sees her parents sitting close together in their respective chairs. Luke's mechanical hand is resting on Evaan's thigh and in her hands are two delicate looking tools that she is using to adjust something in his hand. Rey hides behind the corner and barely peeks around it, trying to figure out if this is real or another memory.

She takes in her parents' appearances; her father looks just as she remembers from Ahch-To, but with a few more bruises, he is now wearing a clean white tunic and tan pants, his hair appears slightly more disheveled and beard more unkempt but it is still Luke. She then scrutinizes the woman she believes to be her mother; she is much older than she has ever seen her before, with some wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, she also has silver streaking through her braided golden hair. The woman is wearing a long sleeved black shirt and bright orange pants, it is only then that Rey realizes that she is actually wearing a pilot's jumpsuit and has the top part pushed down. She then hears her mother speak and it interrupts her examination.

"It's been a while since you've had a tune up," says Evaan as she carefully adjusts a few mechanisms on the back of Luke's hand. "Did you forget to take your maintenance kit with you?"

Luke winces slightly, the adjustment tightens up a few loose gears to which he had grown accustomed. "I did but nothing seemed wrong so I didn't bother with tune ups."

Evaan fixes him with a reproving look. "I've told you repeatedly that you need yearly tune ups, Luke. Your hand isn't impervious to the elements and the sea air seems to have corroded a few parts. You'll need replacements and a new skin cover."

"Fine," sighs Luke with a slight huff but he is far from upset. "I remember the last time you did this, it was right before Rey was born, we were sitting by the fire just like we are now, my hand was on your belly . . ."

" . . . And Rey was moving around like a little fish," supplies Evaan with a slight chuckle. "You were talking to her and she reacted, moving towards your voice and at one point she kicked and your hand moved enough that I ripped a wire by accident. It added another hour of work."

Luke laughs. "I felt a little bad about that. You were tired and had been sitting down for almost an hour and a half tuning up my hand, and I had riled up our daughter." His expression is tender as he looks at her. "In hindsight, I should've tried for an extra two hours."

Evaan's hands still and she looks at him, her expression mournful. "Maybe I should stop and come back to this later."

"If you like," says Luke softly, looking at the hand on her thigh. "I'm in no hurry."

Rey blushes, she knows she is witnessing an intimate moment between her parents, possibly more intimate than if she had walked in on them in their room, but she cannot look away. Growing up and in recent times, she has been told of the love her parents shared for each other, how it has developed into a popular love story and has been an aspiration for many; she had never fully seen it until this moment, before she had just glimpsed it in holos but to actually see it is more beautiful than she could have imagined. She is a very happy that she watched them.

"We have a pair of big brown eyes watching us," says Luke without even looking in Rey's direction.

Evaan smiles and looks over at Rey, seeing her daughter's eyes shining in the light. "How are you feeling, sweet pea?"

"Better," replies Rey, surprised to hear her voice, her throat had been so sore earlier she had not been sure she would ever speak again. "Am I dreaming?"

"No," replies Luke, smiling at her. "I'm pleased to say that this isn't a dream or a memory or anything like that. This is real, Rey, your mother is alive."

"How is that possible?" asks Rey as she tries to take a step only to stumble and in that moment, Evaan seems to fly to her side.

"You need your rest," reprimands Evaan gently as she takes Rey's hand. "We'll have plenty of time to talk later."

Rey stares at her mother in disbelief. "Mom, you've been dead for almost twenty years, I didn't think I'd ever even get to _see_ you let alone talk with you."

"She has a point, Evaan," says Luke from his chair, watching his wife and daughter with a contented expression. "We might as well tell her."

Evaan lets out a small sigh as she and R2-D2 begin leading Rey to the fireplace. "You're right, Luke." She looks to Rey, the last time she had seen her daughter, she had fit perfectly in her arms and now she is a beautiful young woman. Evaan helps Rey sit down between the two armchairs and R2-D2 stands just behind her, before she sits in her own chair, leaning back as she thinks about what she is about to tell her daughter. "I wasn't dead, not really. Snoke infected me . . . well us, with a disease he engineered to affect those with a low midichlorian count. Thank the stars you weren't affected, because of your Jedi level midichlorians. I however was affected and as a result, became ill. When I "died", I was actually in a death-like state."

"So you weren't actually dead?" asks Rey curiously and Evaan nods. "But if you weren't dead, then how come we buried you?" Rey thinks about what Kylo had said, about starting the fire near her mother's grave, she almost finds it laughable now that she has her mother back.

"Your father and the others didn't know," replies Evaan carefully. "Your father didn't find out until Snoke told him, apparently my illness was going to be used as a ploy to try and convince him to join the First Order by dangling a cure in front of him. Thanks to some bull headedness on my part, that didn't happen because I didn't ask your father to find a cure. Anyway, after my funeral the First Order retrieved my body and evidently cured me, before placing me in a coma. I was woken up around the same time your father was brought to Snoke's space station and used once again as a means of turning him to the First Order."

"Which didn't work," finishes Rey with a slight grin and they both nod. "I should've pressed harder to visit your grave, we might have found you then."

Evaan shrugs. "Maybe or maybe not, I'm sure Snoke would've just used it as another attempt to get your father on his side." She reaches out a tucks a piece of hair behind Rey's ear. "Besides, who knows what Ben would've done with me when he came after the Academy. I hear he sent you to Jakku."

Rey nods, recalling what her cousin had told her while they were dueling. "I'm not sure either, maybe he would have spared you."

"Perhaps," says Evaan as she continues to fuss with Rey's hair, an act Rey instantly relishes because of its motherly affection. "You scared the hell out of us, Rey. When we found you, you were unconscious against a wall and soaked to the bone." Evaan looks to Luke who is looking just as somber. "We thought we were going to lose you."

Rey looks down at her lap guiltily, feeling incredibly stupid for running off like she had and nearly getting herself killed in the process. She had been so convinced that her vision was true she had not even really stopped to consider the possibility that it was false; her cousin knew how to play on her emotions very well indeed. "I'm sorry, Mom. I thought I was saving Dad."

Evaan stops fussing and smiles affectionately at her daughter. "I know, sweet pea, your heart was in the right place. Next time, just use the Force; you were blessed with it for a reason."

"Loving and critical all at once," laughs Rey and Luke joins in, Evaan just shakes her head at the pair of them.

"It tends to help stroke a man's ego," quips Evaan and Luke stops laughing but Rey almost falls over from laughing too hard when she sees her father's shocked expression and her mother's smug grin.

Luke sighs, shaking his head in false annoyance. "You're lucky I love you, woman, most men wouldn't be so quick to forgive you for statements like that."

Evaan smiles lovingly. "Yes, you're quite right about that."

"About what?" asks Luke as he smiles back at her just as sweetly.

"Both," she replies with a soft smile as she looks at Rey, her eyes flicker over almost every inch of Rey's face. "By the Force, Rey, I can't believe how grown up you are!"

Luke chuckles. "I know what you mean, it's still hard for me to believe that she used to be the same little girl who played in mud puddles and drank her milk in a tea cup for almost five years."

Evaan's eyes mist over with tears, the only memories she had of Rey were of her as a newborn baby and just a little after; she envies Luke for his memories of their daughter. "That sounds . . . beautiful."

Rey immediately reaches out and clutches her mother's hand, desperate to make that look disappear. "Mom, please don't cry. We'll make memories together, starting today, I promise!"

Evaan moves her hand to cup her daughter's face, as she observes her features she realizes that all those years ago she was wrong about something; Rey does in fact resemble her in some respects. She remembers the small baby she held in her arms, how tiny and perfect she had been and now her baby was too big to be held but she is still perfect. She never thought or even hoped that she would be able to touch her daughter again, it had seemed like too much to ask for. She moves her hands away from Rey's face before slipping down to the ground beside her, for a moment Rey seems confused and then Evaan puts her arms completely around her daughter.

The suddenness and the warmth of the embrace startles Rey, her family and friends had hugged her before but this feels entirely different. It takes her a moment before she reciprocates, wrapping her arms around her mother. She feels tears leaking from the corners of her eyes but she does not go to wipe them away, instead she savors this moment of being in her mother's arms for the first time that she can remember. It takes her another moment to realize that her mother is crying and when she looks back at Luke, she sees that he is crying, too. Then he moves to the ground and throws his arms around the two of them before kissing the tops of their heads.

"My girls," he says softly.

Evaan and Rey both free the nearest arm and throw it around him, neither woman letting go of the other in the process.

"My family," says Rey and her parents' arms tighten around her.

After all this time, after all the lonely days and nights wishing she knew who she was and who she belonged to, she finally feels complete. She has found her home and her family.

* * *

"I'm surprised so much of the temple is still standing," says Evaan as she carefully steps over a fallen pillar, she nearly trips but Luke reaches out and easily catches her, she smiles as she stands back up. "Thanks, Luke."

"Anytime, Evaan," says Luke happily as he takes her hand and they turn back around. "How are you doing, Rey?"

Rey looks back at her parents, smiling slightly when she saw her parents' entwined hands. "I'm fine, Dad! Hurry up, you two are so slow."

Luke rolls his eyes playfully and Evaan merely laughs as they begin ascending the broken and burned pieces of the temple, Rey stands at the top of a pile just watching them as they help each other up. Earlier that morning, they had discussed visiting the temple before they returned to New Alderaan, so that is exactly what they are doing; Rey is a little anxious to be back so soon, she half expected to see the ghosts of her friends lingering around the premises but when they arrived, there was no one. She is a little disappointed, she wanted her father to see his students again and hear that they do not hate him or blame him for their deaths. It would do a world of good for him to have that burden lifted from his shoulders.

Rey shakes her mind, clearing away her negative thoughts, after last night she has tried not to linger on painful or sad memories; when that voice had spoken to her, it had preyed on those memories and she is determined now more than ever to learn how to keep those feelings associated with them from consuming her again like they had briefly the night before. She then looks up and over the treetops, glancing just barely the top of the _Millennium Flacon_ and she smiles brightly, knowing that Poe and Chewbacca are there waiting for their return. Thinking about Poe brings about a swooping feeling in her stomach and warmth to her cheeks. She cannot wait to feel him in her arms again.

"They always were good together," says Anakin suddenly from her side, his voice startles Rey, and he smirks when he sees her jump. His gaze returns to Luke and Evaan. "I liked her almost immediately."

"Should I even ask how you two met?" asks Rey with a slight glare, a little annoyed at being startled.

Anakin sighs heavily. "I'm not referring to my time as Vader, I was referring to when I met her after I died." A gentle smile forms on his lips. "I was standing with Obi-Wan and Yoda near the Ewok campsite and Luke was looking at us, he seemed so relieved to see me standing there with my masters. Then this smiling woman with blonde hair came up to him and took his hand, he turned to her and the way his eyes shone told me that he loved her with all of his heart; it was the same look I used to give your grandmother. I felt relieved to see he had found someone."

Rey cocks an eyebrow. "Why?"

Before Anakin can answer, Luke and Evaan join Rey at the top of the pile of rubble, and the two Jedi share a look; Rey tries to make sense of the look but her mother simply shakes her head, indicating that it is best not to try to understand. Rey wants to know how her mother could possibly know what is going on when she cannot see Force ghosts but she decides that is a question for another day.

"How much farther?" asks Evaan briskly, breaking the forming tension between the three Jedi.

Luke looks away just as his father's form begins to disappear. "Not much, another few feet at most."

"I don't think we're going to find anything there," says Rey sadly as they begin walking again. "Kylo said he started the fire near Mom's tomb, so it would have been the first thing to go."

Evaan shakes her head, some wisps of hair escaping the braid around her head. "I can't believe he would do something like that, especially to your father." She blinks back a few tears, thinking about all she now knew her nephew had done. "I have more than a few regrets where Ben is concerned."

"We all do," comments Luke, squeezing Evaan's hand. "We all tried our best to help him at some point in his life, but it wasn't enough."

"He's beyond help now," mutters Rey bitterly, causing her parents to frown. She levels a harsh look at the pair. "You didn't see what I saw, he isn't the same Ben we knew and loved. He is something completely different."

Gently, Evaan puts a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "We don't blame you, Rey and we're not saying you're wrong, we're simply mourning the loss of someone we loved dearly."

"We've lost too many of those," she says quietly and Evaan squeezes her shoulder. "We should keep going."

"You're right," says Evaan and she removes her hand, then she reaches for Luke's gloved hand before they continue their journey.

They do not speak as they navigate the slightly treacherous terrain, instead muttering 'be careful' and 'thank you' whenever they found it necessary. Eventually they reach their destination, or at least where it is supposed to be and the three of them stand around a pile of charred stones and wood. Luke steps forward, he begins to raise his hands above his head and as he does, the stones and wood begins to move away from the pile. It takes a few moments, but Luke manages to _move_ enough rubble to reveal a stone door. The door has scorch marks around the edges and deep cracks in its surface, considering how long it had been and how it had been subjected to the elements, it is in surprisingly excellent condition. Rey contributes that to the Force keeping it preserved.

"So that's where I was buried," says Evaan at last, her voice is light but there is a heavy weight to her words. She looks at Luke and sees him staring at the ground; his shoulders are slumped and slightly tense. "Luke, you didn't know."

"I know," says Luke softly as he turns to look at his wife, tears shining in his bright blue eyes. "I just wish I had."

Evaan moves to his side and slips her hand into his, attempting to soothe his troubled heart and he rests his head against hers. Rey feels a little out of place as she watches her parents interact, it almost seems like they are in their own little world, at least until they both turn and look at her. Luke lets go of Evaan's hand and beckons for Rey to join them, she does so a little timidly and as she nears her parents, they wrap their arms around her and hold her tightly between them. Rey is sure she will never get tired of having her parents embrace her, even when she is old enough to be a parent herself she will probably still want to be held by her mother and father; as they stand among the ruins of where their life as a family ended, she vows to always protect them so they can stay a family.


	18. Chapter 18

Evaan leans down and kisses the top of Rey's head before extracting herself from the embrace, she then heads over to the entrance to what had been her final resting, her demeanor calm as she approaches the door. She can feel eyes resting heavily on her back and she knows without looking that Luke is watching her; Rey probably is too but not as intensely. Evaan takes a deep breath and pushes on the stone door, surprised that it yields so easily, and is more than a little shocked to see her coffin sitting in the middle of the room seemingly untouched.

The fire has touched the rest of the tomb, but minimally compared to the rest of the temple; there stones missing from the ceiling, allowing streaks of sunlight into the otherwise dark space, some wooden beams have fallen through other portions of the ceiling, and the walls seem to be crumbling away slowly. She goes inside, careful of the debris littered around, it is a little unnerving to her that she is actually about to see the coffin she had been buried in over twenty years ago but she keeps going, determined to see this through. When she reaches the coffin resting on a stone pedestal, she wills herself to look down at it, and when she does she feels her knees weaken considerably and the world seems to spin. She feels ready to collapse when something solid and warm holds onto her, she gives a bare smile as she allows herself to relax in her husband's arms.

"Evaan?" asks Luke nervously. "Evaan, what's wrong?"

"It's empty," she says softly, her eyes now locked on the glass top of the coffin. Inside it she can see a light blue plush velvet lining, a never-ending border of blue flowers lining the inside of the coffin, and her war medals shining in the light. "I . . . I thought there would be a body."

"Why would you think that?" asks Luke gently, his grip tightening.

Evaan barely swallows a sob that rose in her throat. "This all seems too good to be true, so I thought . . . I thought that it was."

Luke's heart lurches when he hears that, all this time and all her confidence, and part of her still doubted whether or not she really was alive. He holds her as tightly as he can without injuring her and rests his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the scent of her skin deeply; for as long as he has known her, she always smelled like sunshine and the outdoors and that rings true now. Having her in his arms, smelling her skin, and hearing her voice makes him feel ridiculous for trying to convince himself before that she was not real and just a figment of the Force; he had had no inclination that she had been struggling with the same thoughts. She had been so sure of herself that is a complete shock to him to hear her doubts.

He places a discreet kiss just below her ear and he feels a tremor roll through her body. "I can't say I didn't doubt that you were really back, because I did; I didn't want to think I had you back only to lose you again." He moves one hand to cover hers. "When I accepted that you were really here, I haven't doubted it since. You are Evaan Verlaine Skywalker. You are the mother of my child, my beloved wife, my best friend, and the love of my life. I love you, Evaan I love you so much. Please don't doubt that at least."

"I love you, too Luke," whispers Evaan as she moves in his arms so she can see his face. Unshed tears glimmer in her amber eyes but she is smiling regardless. "I know this hasn't been easy for you, but I'm glad to have you beside me."

Luke smiles as his hold on her tightens. "I won't leave your side again, Evaan, never."

Evaan moves her head over and kisses the corner of Luke's mouth and he moves to kiss her properly.

"Mom, Dad, are you two alright?" asks Rey from the door of the tomb. She saw her parents' embrace and she was unsure if she should interrupt, so she did the next best thing and reminded them of her presence in a nicer way.

"We're fine, Rey," replies Evaan pleasantly as she and Luke disentangle. "What about you?"

"I'm fine," says Rey with a giggle before entering the tomb properly and heading over to where her parents are standing. She stands beside them and looks down at the glass coffin her mother had been laid to rest in; what strikes her as strange is how intact it is, given what Kylo had claimed the night before. "He said it was destroyed."

Her parents look again at the coffin and also notice that the glass is not shattered, something they had overlooked just moments ago.

"What exactly did Kylo say to you, Rey?" asks Evaan curiously.

Rey cannot take her eyes off of the glass surface, even to look at her mother. "He said that he started the fire in your tomb, that he heard the glass shatter on your coffin." She puts a hand on the cool surface. "He was lying the entire time."

"Probably in an attempt to make you angry," says Luke thoughtfully as he glances at his daughter, noticing her perplexed expression. "Anger would feed your hate and make you more likely to attack him, which is likely what he wanted. It's a ploy that's been used by the Sith for centuries and won't stop now."

A great deal of unsaid things hang in the air after he is finished speaking, most of which are unsaid by Rey; she wants to ask him about what Kylo had said about the Jedi and how they had fallen away from their true teachings but this does not feel like the right time or place. Something tells her by the way her father is looking at her that he knows there will be a long discussion later.

"Now, we should head back to the ship," says Luke briskly, attempting to break the newly forming tension. "I'm sure Poe and Chewie will be relieved to see you, Rey."

Evaan absentmindedly nods as she stares at the glass coffin she had been in years previously. Her eyes are locked on the medals she sees among the still preserved flowers, she then pushes on the lid, only to find it held fast.

"What are you doing, my dear?" asks Luke slightly amused.

Evaan looks over her shoulder at him with a slight scowl. "I'm trying to get my medals back."

Luke glances at the shining metal in the coffin and nods before raising his hand, _lifting_ the lid of the coffin effortlessly and putting it gently on the floor beside it.

Evaan tries not to look defeated as she leans in and gathers up her medals, her fingers brush against the flowers and releases their aroma. She breathes in the scent and almost breaks down in tears; these are flowers from New Alderaan called Vergona Sky. When they found the planet with the Alderaanian survivors, she and Leia had discovered these flowers while they were out surveying the settlement plot. The flowers had no name that they knew of, so Winter had come up with one, combining the two women's last names.

"Mom?" asks Rey gently, nervous when she sees her mother's anguished expression. "Mom, are you alright?"

Her mother gives a brief nod. "I'm fine, Rey, just . . . remembering."

"What are you remembering?" asks Rey a little more curiously than she hoped.

Evaan smiles warmly at her daughter as she puts her medals in her pocket, then she reaches over and gently grabs a handful of Vergona Sky, which she brings to her nose and inhales from deeply. She can recall with near perfect clarity the moment she and Leia found these in a small field just outside of what would become Aldera, remembering her friend-turned-sister's face and when they came across it. She had smiled and laid down in the field, Evaan did the same and the two of them had spent some time just lying amongst the flowers, breathing in their heavenly aroma before finally deciding to go back to the settlement. They both came back with armfuls and the Alderaanian people declared it was a sign they were meant to live here, as the blue color was the same as the sky they knew from Alderaan.

"Those flowers are all over New Alderaan," says Rey after a while, recognizing the plant her mother is holding as gently as glass. "You can't go into a room at the palace or a store without seeing a vase full of them."

"Rey, do you know what these are called?" asks Evaan, a lilt to her voice like she is speaking to an inquisitive child, which she technically is.

Rey thinks for a moment. "Something Sky, isn't it?"

Evaan chuckles as she caresses the blue petals. "Yes, you're half right. They're called Vergona Sky. After your aunt and I."

"Really?!" exclaims Rey and she looks to her father. "Why didn't you tell me there were flowers named after my mother?"

Luke looks bewildered and simply shrugs. "I thought your aunt or uncle told you, I assumed as much when you insisted on picking a huge bouquet before we left New Alderaan every time we visited since you were two."

"I just thought they were pretty!" Rey says, slightly defensive. "You should have told me what those flowers were called. I always just called them sky flowers."

"Alright, enough arguing," sighs Evaan, shaking her head slightly. "Now you know, Rey, and now you understand why I was buried with them." Her fingertip traces the outside edge of a petal.

Rey puts her arm around her mother and kisses her cheek. "I love you, Mom."

Evaan wraps her arm around her daughter's waist and hugs her tightly. "I love you, too, Rey. You're the sweetest daughter a mother could ask for."

Suddenly someone comes up behind them and puts a hand on both their shoulders.

"Shall we?" asks Luke kindly and the two women nod before they head arm-in-arm for the tomb's door. Before he leaves, Luke turns around and _lifts_ the coffin's top from the ground and places it back in its original position. He smiles to himself as he stares at the stone box his wife had rested in, never did he dream that he would have her back in his arms, and he never thought he would live to see it.

* * *

The trek down from the temple is a great deal easier than it had been getting there, now that they know where to step rather than testing out different paths. When they reach the bottom, they are greeted by a blue and white astromech.

"R2, I thought we told you to wait at the house," says Luke when he sees the droid.

The droid beeps and Luke rolls his eyes.

"We were not taking too long," he argues. "We weren't sure how long we were going to be, that's why we told you to wait for us at the house."

Evaan chuckles as she pats the droid on his dome. "He was just worried, Luke, you can't blame him."

The droid moves closer to Evaan, much to Luke's chagrin.

"I have a feeling R2 likes Mom more than you, Dad," teases Rey and R2-D2 beeps his agreement.

Luke scowls at the droid before he starts walking towards their home, keeping up a rather brisk pace. Evaan and Rey hurry to follow him, both trying to smother their grins when they hear him mutter, "Should've just left that stupid droid with the Jawas."

They reach the house a few minutes later and Rey stops to admire the stone and wood building that had been her home for almost thirteen years. It is not as weathered as the stone buildings on Ahch-To or as pristine or architecturally unique as the buildings on New Alderaan but she hardly cares. Whenever she thinks of home, she thinks of this place and the temple, the two seem so interconnected now it is hard to think of one without the other.

"This place was on its last leg when we arrived," says Evaan suddenly, she is also looking at the little house she and her husband had lived in for many years. "The roof had collapsed, there weren't any doors, the glass in the windows was broken and the inside was a complete wreck. We spent the better part of two years fixing it and the temple up after we arrived." She brushes a piece of hair out of her eyes. "It still took us almost five years to have everything just the way we wanted."

"And I'm sure you still have ideas about how to improve it," sighs Luke, although he is looking at Evaan fondly. "You two wait here and I'll go grab our things. R2, guard them with your circuits."

The droid beeps in a serious tone and begins his patrol function as Luke heads inside.

"Do you think we'll ever live here again?" asks Rey suddenly, unable to stop herself.

Evaan's lips turn down for a moment as she thinks over Rey's question. "Maybe someday your father and I will move back here, when this war's over and we have an idea of what will happen to the Jedi."

Rey frowns. "What about me?"

To her surprise, her mother laughs. "Oh Rey, you're a grown woman now, you don't have to live with your parents anymore."

"What if I want to?" asks Rey quietly, her cheeks turning a dark pink color.

Evaan then realizes that her response had not been what Rey wanted; after living without her family and memories for so many years, she wants to remain with them for as long as possible. "Then you may," says Evaan seriously. "You can stay with us for as long as you want."

Rey relaxes and a small smile graces her lips. "I'm glad."

Just then Luke reappears with three large bags, Evaan and Rey quickly rush to help him with his load, each woman taking a bag and then they begin walking away from the little house. Without even looking, Luke closes and locks all of the windows and doors, just as he had all of those years ago when he first left Gatalenta. R2-D2 joins them and they head for the nearby path that will lead to the _Falcon_.

"The house is in excellent shape after so many years of neglect," comments Evaan as she takes Luke's hand. "Did the people from the village take care of it?"

Luke shakes his head and gives a half shrug. "Maybe the outside but the inside wasn't touched by anyone, I made sure of that. When I left, I locked the house up so only Rey or myself could get in using the Force."

"That explains why I wasn't ambushed when I went in," says Rey thoughtfully. "I honestly expected Kylo or his friends to be there, waiting for me."

"He wouldn't have gone in there," says Luke sternly. "There wasn't anything there he could use to destroy us."

Rey bites back a smile at her father's dark joke, it hardly seems appropriate but she cannot help finding some twisted humor in it. "Very true, the only thing he took from there was my pilot doll. He gave that to me when he dropped me off on Jakku."

Luke gives her a curious look. "What pilot doll?"

"The little rag doll with an orange pilot suit," replies Rey as if this were the most obvious thing in the galaxy. "I think it's still on Jakku."

"Rey, that doll was dressed as a Naboo queen," says Luke with a slight chuckle. "You insisted on it after you saw a picture of the Queen of Naboo on the HoloNet. Leia spent hours making the costume for you."

Rey feels as if her world has been turned upside down. "No, that doll was always wearing an orange flight suit."

R2-D2 interjects with his opinion and tells Rey that her father is right.

"Then why was it a pilot?" wonders Rey as she tries to recall when she changed it. She attemtps to think back on her early days on Jakku and only finds a hazy recollection, as if those memories had been faked or hidden.

"We can figure that out later, sweet pea," says Evaan gently when she sees her daughter straining to remember anything. "Right now we have two very real pilots coming right at us."

Rey looks up just in time to see Poe and Chewbacca racing from the _Falcon_ towards their position, BB-8 rolling at almost top speed just to keep up with his friend and master. She barely has time to brace herself when Poe collides with her, his arms wrap around her body tightly as they nearly go down to the ground; their only saving grace is Poe shifting his feet at the last second. It takes her a moment to realize what is happening but when she does, she gladly returns his embrace, folding against his body as if she were meant to be there.

"You scared me to death," he whispers, his grip tightening. "I thought you were going to be killed."

"So did I," she admits softly. "I'm just glad things didn't get to that point."

Poe's arms go slack enough that Rey can breathe and he moves so he can look at her directly. "What happened, Rey? What did he do to you?"

"Knocked me around like a rag doll," says Rey lightly, trying to smile to mask how humiliated she is that Kylo had gained the upper hand throughout most of their encounter. "I did manage to land a punch for you though, he definitely wasn't expecting that."

Poe does not laugh or even smile like she had hoped, instead his lips become thin and drawn and his eyes seem to harden but he does not admonish her, he simply pulls her in tighter. She can sense his worry and guilt, it gnaws at her soul and all she wants to do is hold him until his pain fades away. If it were not for her parents and the fact they needed to get back to New Alderaan, she would have stayed right there and held him as long as she could.

"We should get going, Poe," says Luke gently but firmly. "Rey's been through a great deal and I'd feel better if we got her someplace safe."

"And we need to speak to Lando and Winter when we return to New Alderaan," chimes in Evaan. "Our situation is starting to devolve and we need to do something about it."

Poe nods and releases Rey, but he does not move from her side. "Where's my X-Wing?"

"Just beyond the house," replies Rey, vaguely pointing in the direction from where they had arrived. "She didn't get a scratch."

"And neither did you, thankfully," he says as he cups her cheek. "I'll see you soon."

Rey nods and to her disappointment, he begins running away towards her childhood home. She watches his retreating back, the little orange and white droid rolling right behind him, she smiles to herself as she reflects on the way he held her and how concerned he had been. When she turns back to look at her parents, they are wearing identical 'the Loth-cat who got the Loth-rat' smiles that make her embarrassed and suspicious.

"What?" she asks curiously.

"Nothing," they reply in unison before heading for the _Falcon_.

Rey is about to do the same when the Wookiee crushes her against his furry chest, petting the top of her head and whimpering lowly, almost sounding like he is crying. She smiles as she buries her head into his fur, stroking his back and whispering reassurances to him that she is fine and that everything will be alright. It saddens her to realize exactly how many people she has worried but at the same time she is glad to have someone worry about her safety.

"Thanks for coming after me," she says, looking up at the Wookiee's face. "And for looking after my parents, Aunt Leia and Uncle Han would be very happy."

Chewbacca lets out a few growls and holds her tighter before picking her up and carrying her towards the _Falcon_. She giggles to herself as she lets him carry her; he has not done this since she was a little girl, but she is all too happy to have him do it. It makes her think of better times when she was just a little girl on a small adventure with her uncle rather than being a Jedi that is about to be part of a war.

* * *

It is late at night when they land and the moment her foot touches the hangar floor Rey is tackled to the ground by Finn, whom switches between scolding her and praising the heavens that she is alive with every other breath. All Rey can do is smile as she listens and nods along with what he has to say, reveling in the fact she has a friend like him who actually is concerned about her welfare. When he finally lets her get up, Finn hugs her tightly then shakes her slightly.

"Don't ever do something like that again, Rey!" he says sternly and she simply nods. "Good, now tell me who those people are behind you."

Rey turns and smiles at her parents who are watching the scene from the _Falcon_ 's ramp. "They're my parents Luke and Evaan Skywalker."

Finn looks at them and frowns. "I thought your mother was dead and your father was captured by the First Order."

"It's a long story," the three Skywalkers say in unison and Finn's eyes widen.

Just then Poe appears and claps Finn on the shoulder. "I see you've met the rest of the family. Good, now we just have to wait until morning before anyone will explain anything."

"Watch it, Dameron," warns Evaan, her amber eyes narrowing at him before she smiles brightly at Finn. "It's a pleasure to meet you Finn. Rey's told us so much about you."

Finn looks cautiously at Rey who smiles reassuringly. "How much did she tell you?"

"Everything," replies Evaan with a shrug. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, Finn. Actually, you're very brave in my eyes and you should never doubt you made the right decision."

Finn smiles tentatively at Rey's mother. "Thank you, Mrs. Skywalker. I've heard a great deal about you as well, history seems to like you almost as much as they like General Organa."

"Yes, well, we were both very active in the Rebel Alliance," says Evaan tersely. "Do you know where my husband and I can stay until morning? I imagine Winter and Lando are already asleep."

"Yes ma'am," says Finn. "Lando and Winter just went to bed. I believe they were staying up with their daughter Dehleah; she delivered her daughter not too long after you left and they have not left her side much since then."

"And so the throne has an heir," says Evaan with a faint smile. "I'm glad for them all, it's always a great day when a baby is born." Her gaze lingers on her own baby, now a full-grown woman.

"We should get Rey in a bacta tank," says Luke, looking at his daughter, who cocks an eyebrow. "Your mother and I did what we could, but I think you should go in one just to be safe."

"What about you two?" asks Rey, pointing at their various bruises. "You two don't look any better than I do."

Evaan shrugs. "We'll be fine, it's you we're more concerned about."

"Dad, can you use the Force to heal all of us?" asks Rey, the two men beside her looking a little confused and a little more intrigued.

Luke nods. "Yes, I already did with you, but I can again just to make sure there is nothing else."

"We should probably leave the hangar first," says Evaan thoughtfully and she looks at the two young men. "You two should get some sleep as well."

"Before I forget, there's going to be a Senate meeting tomorrow morning," says Finn, stifling a yawn.

"Where?" asks Luke.

"Here, in Lando's conference room," replies Finn. "We've had some more senators arrive, including the Chancellor. According to them, R2 and BB-8 were responsible for that, they were the ones who contacted the Senators on Leia's orders."

"That explains why they weren't there at the party," says Poe, patting the droids on their domes. "You two were busy summoning senators."

The droids beep happily.

"I just wish we knew why," sighs Rey. "R2 said he didn't know why Leia had asked him to contact the Senators and I doubt BB-8 knows either."

Luke and Evaan share a conspiratorial glance. It is no surprise to them that Leia asked the droids to contact the Senate, she always had a plan; what upsets them is they understand what her true plan had been all along and it had cost Leia her life.

"Because she had planned to die," says Luke softly. "She had no intention of living longer than it took to bring Connix out into the open."

Poe, Rey, and Finn stare at him with wide eyes and open mouths.

"There's corruption in the Republic and she knew that," explains Evaan, even after being in a coma for twenty years, she understands the workings of her friend's mind with perfect clarity. Rey had explained how the assassination happened while they were traveling back from Gatalenta and now that they knew the Senate had been called, or what was left of it according to what Poe had said, it all made sense. "She wanted to show the rest of the Senators that they still were not safe, that the First Order had infiltrated more than they knew."

"Hosnian Prime was just to show the galaxy how strong they were," supplies Luke. "They had been a threat to the Republic long before that happened."

Poe nods slowly. "That makes sense, unfortunately. Connix had been with Leia long before she started the Resistance, so it's very likely that she has always been a double agent. The only question is when Leia realized it."

"That we may never know," says Evaan gently. "What we do know is we've been given a golden opportunity to mount a defense and have the Senate on our side for once, and that is Leia's last gift to the galaxy."

"And now the Resistance will be legitimized," says Poe happily. "We'll be a proper military without having to worry about being attacked from both sides." His smile falls. "I just wish it hadn't taken General Organa's death to ensure that."

Evaan puts her hand on Poe's shoulder. "If she didn't think this would work, she wouldn't have done it. It's also likely you'll be the one who will lead us into war, so be ready for that."

Poe pales but he nods, understanding the weight about to be put on his shoulders and he knows he has to carry it if he wants to live up to Leia's memory.

"Now, we should all get some rest," says Evaan in a motherly tone. "We'll see each other in the morning. Sleep well."

"Sleep well," mutter Poe and Finn as they head off to the crew's quarters, BB-8 rolling behind them.

Luke takes Evaan's hand and they turn to the _Falcon_ , where they see Chewbacca standing there, leaning against a metal pole on the ramp. The Wookiee seems completely exhausted.

"Are you sleeping on the ship?" asks Evaan and he nods. "Okay, we'll see you in the morning as well. If you need us, just come find us."

Chewbacca nods before heading back into the ship, the three of them watch as he slowly ascends the ramp, seeming much older than he really is.

"He should go home," says Rey softly as she watches the ramp close. "He's earned his retirement."

Evaan smiles kindly at her daughter. "He's already home, sweetheart."

* * *

"What should I do with these?" asks Evaan as she pulls out Rey's Jedi garb from a satchel.

Rey finishes changing into her night wear and looks at the outfit with slight disdain, that had been the outfit she wore when she confronted her cousin and when she had nearly given into the Dark side. She almost tells her mother to just burn it when she remembers that her aunt gave it to her and had it designed specifically for her, and that is what prevents her from destroying it. "Just put it in the closet, I'll wear it tomorrow."

Evaan looks at her daughter skeptically. "Why?"

"To show all of those Senators that there are still Jedi in the universe," says Rey proudly and she thinks of her friends' ghosts, something she still has not told her father. "And to prove to myself that I am a Jedi, like my father."

"That's something you've never had to prove," says Luke as he enters the room, smiling proudly at his daughter. "How are you feeling, Rey?"

She shrugs as she undoes her bun and uses her fingers to brush through her hair. "Same as before, so I suppose your healing worked well enough."

Luke nods as he closes the door. "Well that's good to hear, I still want to make sure you're completely healed before I give you a clean bill of health."

"Alright," says Rey, holding out her arms, waiting for her father to begin healing her.

Her father shakes his head and chuckles warmly. "Rey, it doesn't work like that. Besides, it might be more comfortable if you're lying down in bed. You'll feel pretty sleepy afterwards as well."

"Sounds reasonable," says Rey with a shrug and she heads over to her bed, pulling back the blankets and slipping in.

Evaan comes up just moments later and tucks her in properly, even lightly fluffing the pillow she is laying on before kissing her forehead. "Good night, sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom," yawns Rey, a little surprised that she is already so tired.

Her mother moves out of the way and Luke steps in, he smiles at her before placing a hand on her forehead and one on her abdomen. Despite the cloth barriers, he can still sense where her injuries are and begins to use the Force to mend what he can find. There is not much now, there had been more when they found her slumped against some rubble, but he still wants to be sure that absolutely nothing is left unchecked.

Rey looks up at her father as he works, questions and accusations poised on the tip of her tongue but she knows she has to tread carefully, especially with this topic. "Dad, I have a question, and I need you to answer me honestly."

Luke nods as he continues to focus on healing the slight injuries he can sense. "I'll do my best."

"Were the Jedi wrong?" Rey asks rather bluntly. "Were their teachings misguided and corrupt?"

Silence falls between them and Rey can sense her father's hesitation through their connection as she watches him struggle to answer her questions. She almost expects him to completely dismiss them altogether.

"Yes," replies Luke, much to the surprise of his wife and daughter. "I've come to understand that the Jedi Order, the one my father and the Masters were part of, was wrong. I thought it would be easier to tell you once I began training you in a different doctrine but that apparently didn't work." He runs a hand over his head. "I promise I'll explain everything I've discovered as soon as things have settled down."

Rey smiles kindly at her father, glad that he is not denying anything and that he has promised to explain his findings to her at a later time. It is much better than when she was a child and everything was answered with, 'Listen to the Force.'

"Now, go to sleep," says Luke kindly as he removes his hands, his work now complete. "You've had a rough few days and you need your rest."

"Alright," sighs Rey as she snuggles down further into the blankets. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, Rey," says Luke, he leans down and kisses her forehead, almost instantly she falls asleep.

As she and Luke head out of their daughter's room, she takes his hand and smiles. "You're a great father, I always knew you would be."

"Just like you're an incredible mother," says Luke, smiling brightly at his wife. "I always marveled at the way you interacted with Rey when she was a baby, you just seemed to know immediately what she needed or wanted."

Evaan shrugs, trying to mask how upset she is. "It wasn't any different than your connection with her."

Luke squeezes her hand. "You've still got it, my love."

"Thank you," says Evaan sweetly and she notices the direction they are walking in. "Lando's not asleep?"

Luke shakes his head. "No, I sense he's still awake."

"And what exactly are we going to discuss with him?" she asks as they head for their friend's office.

"Winning this war," replies Luke.

* * *

The gathered Senators and Resistance soldiers are already arguing the following morning, hologram representatives and physical people alike. Rey stands between Poe and Finn near the center console of the conference room, all three expressing the same exasperation. They watch the bickering, the rude gestures, and the flailing limbs. With Leia's death, it is inevitable that the two sides will join forces to stand strong against the First Order, only it seems neither side wants to cooperate.

"We already have a general!" shouts Madmun's hologram at a very irate Gungan. "Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo has done well maintaining order, despite the coup!"

"It wasn't a coup!" argues Poe, glaring at the hologram. "My men agreed to come side with General Organa because they recognized her as their commanding officer, not the puppet you put in charge." He runs a hand through his curls, a hateful look in his eye.

Mon Mothma then emerges from within the crowd and stands beside Poe, even in her advanced age she still commands the attention of the room. "We need a general that both sides can respect and follow, a neutral party that can play the game of politics and war."

"Then I may have the perfect solution, Chancellor," announces Lando as he enters and the yelling from moments before is replaced with soft murmurs and whispers as he and two others move to the center of the room, people clearing a path without hesitation; Rey holds her breath, trembling just slightly as her parents come into view. Luke is wearing a clean new set of black Jedi robes, his greying hair has been combed and beard trimmed, and Evaan is wearing a dark blue military suit, her war medals gleam on her chest, her grey streaked blonde hair has been pulled into a familiar style and her green amber tipped pins shine brightly. Rey has never felt prouder.

"Oh my stars," whispers Mothma when she sees them, bringing a hand to cover her gaping mouth. "Evaan . . . Evaan is that you?"

Evaan smiles, her eyes sparkling. "The one and only. It's good to see you again, Chancellor Mothma."

"And you as well, Commander," says Mothma, tears in her eyes before she looks to Lando. "I'm assuming this is your solution, Viceroy?"

Lando nods, smiling proudly. "It is indeed, Chancellor. The woman who assisted in saving the Alderaanian people, who led many victories during the Civil War and after, and who learned to play the political game from Princess Leia herself. Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate and Resistance forces, allow me to introduce your new general, Evaan Skywalker."

There is a pause; the entire room is dead silent before a roar ripples through, some cheering, some shouting, and all clamoring for answers. Evaan steps forward, her jaw set with determination as she surveys the crowd, she knows what they want to hear and she is fully prepared to fill them in.

"Snoke attempted to kill me," says Evaan loudly and once again it quickly grows quiet. "He infected me and my unborn daughter with a virus designed to affect those with a low midicholorian count. Thankfully, my daughter Rey was born a Force-sensitive and was saved from the illness, but I was not so lucky. My health rapidly declined until the day you thought I had died. According to Snoke, I was in a state like death; one that could be cured and he did in fact have me cured once I came into his possession. I was then placed in a coma for almost twenty years and awoken a few weeks ago. Both my illness and my supposed resurrection were ploys to try and convince my husband to join the First Order."

Again the room is silent, many thinking over what she has just told them, while the rest are skeptical for obvious reasons.

A Rodian steps forward. "How do we know you're not a clone or a First Order puppet? This could all be a cleverly designed trap, one that would allow the First Order to gain control of both the military and the Senate."

Luke steps forward, obviously angry. "You honestly believe I wouldn't know my own wife from a clone? And that if I thought she was a brainwashed puppet or sleeper solider, I would bring her here? Forgive me, Senator but the Force would have show me the truth and I wouldn't have endangered the New Republic like that."

"Forgive me, Grand Master," says the Rodian with a distinct air of disdain, "but the Force didn't even show you that your wife was alive, and besides we can hardly trust your judgment on this matter as you may be compromised by your own emotions."

A dark shadow crosses over Luke's eyes and he seems ready to tear the Senator's arm off but a hand comes to rest on his shoulder and he relaxes enough to look at the person beside him with a less menacing glare. His eyes soften when he sees Evaan's face; his anger now stifled just enough that he does not want to use the Force that harshly against the Senator. He brings his hand up to Evaan's and squeezes it before they release each other.

Evaan then turns to face the crowd, dispersed within it she sees friendly faces, those she has fought with and worked beside to rebuild the galaxy. In their faces she sees the pain and triumph of the war, all that was sacrificed and all that was gained; something she would not have recognized or found meaning in if she were a clone or a puppet.

"I have memories from before my resurrection," she announces. "I remember my parents and my siblings as clearly as any of you would remember your own, our house was on Belleau-a-Lir and full of the artwork and music created by my family. I remember the day I met Princess Organa, her parents came to visit my family and brought her when she was six and I was nearly six, which turned out to also be the day I was brought to the palace in Aldera to begin my studies. I remember my time with Princess Organa, while she was learning to be Queen and a skilled politician I was taught to fly almost anything, use a blaster like a soldier, and argue like a Senator; we essentially had the same training in that regard."

She allows a fleeting smile to flicker across her face. "I remember Scarif, fighting above the planet to ensure the plans for the Death Star reached Rebel hands . . . and I remember the moment I heard my planet was destroyed." She seems almost unable to continue but she swallows hard and seems determined to keep going. "I remember all of that and so much more. If I were a clone, even a well built one, I wouldn't have those memories I would be a blank slate. And if I were a brainwashed puppet, I wouldn't be able to remember those things with so much emotion. I am Evaan Skywalker, wife of Luke Skywalker and mother of Rey Skywalker. I am Commander Verlaine, pilot for Alderaan and the Rebellion. If nothing I have said convinces you I am who I say I am, then you were against me from the start."

Her words seem to dare someone to speak out against her, to doubt what she has just said, and only one person does.

"What is your final memory?" asks Mothma, her blue eyes cold and face stern. "The last memory before you were awakened."

Evaan does not miss a beat. "It was a sunny day on Gatalenta and I was cold, I couldn't warm myself up with a blanket or a hot shower so I went outside. Rey was six months old at the time and I brought her playpen out, I put it on the grass and then her in it. I sat down beside her pen, weak and shaking as I lay out in the grass trying to warm up. I could hear her babbling as she played with the Ewok toy Han had given her and I remember looking up at the sky, the sun was shining on me and I still wasn't warm." She swallows hard again, a lump forming in her throat. "I knew then that I was dying . . . that I wouldn't see my daughter grow up and I wouldn't see my husband again. I remember my final thought being how I wanted to see Luke's face one last time. Then there was nothing."

Mon Mothma seems on the verge of tears again but she quickly composes herself. "That matches what Leia told me about your death, she said you were found in your yard by your husband with your daughter in her playpen. I'm so sorry for making you relive that, Evaan."

"It was necessary," says Evaan simply before she again looks to the crowd. "Do you believe me now?"

The Rodian who voiced his doubts earlier nods and seems to smile at her. "Welcome back, Commander Verlaine or should I say, General Skywalker."

"I move that Evaan Skywalker be instated as the General of the New Republic Military effective immediately," says Lando, taking control. "All those in favor?"

"Aye!" comes a resounding shout from the majority of the crowd, Lando's voice echoes above the rest.

"Nay!" shouts the minority, consisting of Madmun and four others.

"The motion carries," says Mothma triumphantly and she turns to Evaan. "Well General, it would seem we have some work to do."

Evaan smiles brightly, glancing at Luke and Rey who are both beaming. "Yes, Chancellor, I would say we do."


	19. Epilogue

**A/N: And so concludes _Destined Forces._ I just wanted to thank everyone for their support of this endeavor and to let you know I will continue this storyline in the future. In the meantime, I might edit this story to improve some areas and begin work on a new version of the Original Trilogy with Evaan added in. Enjoy!**

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Rey is anything but focused as she attempts to _levitate_ large rocks, the rocks are barely two inches off of the ground but she hardly cares, today is a day of new beginnings. Today the New Republic will openly declare war on the First Order, with her mother leading the fight with Leia's Resistance and the New Republic Military at her side. Poe has been promoted to Admiral and given control of another fleet and Finn has been given the position of First Order Infiltration Commander; they will both be leaving New Alderaan in a matter of days to begin their missions. Meanwhile, she and Luke will be returning to Jakku on a hunch and work to unravel Snoke's ultimate plan. According to the Masters this is the first time since the Clone Wars that the galaxy has been so united against a threat and she is eager to see history unfold before her eyes.

"You're distracted," says Anakin, materializing beside her as she continues to struggle. "What are you thinking about?"

"The future," replies Rey as she opens her eyes and sets the rocks down with care. "After today everything will be different, we won't be fighting a losing war, we'll have the support of the people and the Senate." She cannot help but smile at what she thinks about next. "And I have my parents back."

Anakin smiles brightly at that as well. "Yes, and it's about time something went right." He then sighs heavily and looks at the ground. "Leia would've been proud."

Hearing her aunt's name sends a sharp pain through her heart, and worse it causes her to remember how Kylo tricked her into going to Gatalenta, and how she had nearly killed him and herself as well. That is something her aunt would not be proud of. "I wish she was here with us."

"I know," says Anakin gently, "but she's with Han and her family, and she's very happy."

"Can she come back like you and the Masters can?" asks Rey a little sheepishly. She knows that her aunt was never schooled in the Jedi way but she has been hoping since her death that Leia might return to her as a guiding spirit, so far she has not.

Anakin shrugs. "I'm not sure, maybe she will and maybe she won't, ultimately it's up to her what she does. My daughter has never done anything she hasn't wanted to in her life, just like the rest of my family."

Rey grins. "We're a family of stubborn banthas, that's for sure."

"Damn sure," laughs Anakin, the sound echoing in the garden. His laughter subsides and he looks off, a distant look on his corporeal face. "I wish I had left behind a better legacy."

"Oh I don't know, your legacy is pretty impressive to me, Father," says Luke as he emerges, holding several books. "Wouldn't you agree, Rey?"

"Absolutely," says Rey with a slight chuckle. "Then again we are terribly biased."

"That you are," says Anakin with a bright smile. He enjoys having his family tease him and interact with him like he never was a Sith Lord; it makes him feel that he did at least something right in his life. "I'll leave you two alone for now, I'm sure you don't need an old Jedi hanging around." He then looks at Luke and winks before disappearing.

Rey claps a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud and Luke just rolls his eyes before crossing the distance to where his daughter is sitting. He sits down across from her and places the books between them.

"What are these?" asks Rey as she picks up the first book, a brown leather-bound tome.

"Our new doctrine," replies Luke as he watches her, "or more accurately, the original doctrine." He looks at the small collection of books he had taken from Ahch-To, tomes too precious to leave behind. "I told you I would answer your questions about the Jedi and I'm a man of my word."

Rey's hand trembles as she moves the book around and observes it from every angle; it looks more like a journal than anything else, and she can sense an ancient essence bound to it. "These are incredibly old."

Luke nods. "They are indeed, older than Revan and perhaps even Darth Bane. In these books contain the original purpose and teachings of the first Jedi. Well, they weren't actually called 'Jedi' back then or even 'Sith', they were called 'Disciples of the Force' and were a branch of the Ancient Order of the Whills. There was no Light and Dark side, only the Force."

"When did things change?" asks Rey as she picks up another book, this one bound in a harder surface than the journal she had just been holding. "Obviously something changed."

"Like in any organization, there were differing opinions," explains Luke as he takes back the journal Rey had been holding. "Some sought to use the Force for personal gain, to rule over those who could not wield it, and those became the Sith Order. While others took on the role of peacekeepers to balance out their more reprehensible counterparts, and these became the Jedi Order. Each half took parts of their original doctrine and altered it to fit their new order, forgetting their origins with each successive generation."

Rey nods as she opens the book in her hands, noticing a strange symbol on the first page she sees. It looks like a yellow six-pointed star with a lightsaber coming up between the center points and a pair of wings flanks the star. "What does this symbol mean?"

"That's the emblem of the Disciples," replies Luke. "Each faction had its own, each one was just different enough to distinguish them but this is the closest one to the symbol of the Whills." He then takes the book from her hands and puts it down. "Rey, I would like you to meditate and really connect with the Force."

She cocks an eyebrow and gives her father a quizzical look. "Why? I thought Grandfather said it would be a bad idea for me to meditate."

Luke puts his hand on hers and smiles gently. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you could handle it. I don't believe you'll be tempted again and if you are, I have faith that you will resist."

Rey still does not seem convinced, remembering the last time she had been tempted by the Dark side and what she had almost allowed herself to do. She did not want to experience that again, especially with her father present, she did not want him to see her struggle or worse, be her target like Kylo had been.

"Please trust me," says Luke kindly and she slowly closes her eyes. "Breathe." He watches her inhale deeply and then exhale completely, maintaining a slow and steady pace. "Just breathe."

Rey can feel the Force around her, whispering and moving.

"Now, _reach_ _out_ ," he instructs softly, his voice becoming distant in her mind. "What do you see?"

Visions and feelings come to her: men and women in robes speaking happily with a planet's inhabitants, the same people fighting against what can only be described as raiders with blue and green lightsabers. She has an intense feeling of peace and contentment as she sees these images.

"Light," she says, her voice feeling heavier.

More visions appear: men and women in black torturing prisoners with bright blue lightning, the same people then attack small villages and kill innocents with blood red blades. Rey can barely keep her breathing even paced, fear wells up in her heart and she can feel the taint of corruption.

"Darkness," she says, sounding a little breathless.

Then the visions from both become something greater: the people the robed men and women were fighting are tortured by the men and women in black, the village that had been slaughtered is revealed to be the home of slavers and the people the robed had been speaking to are the rescued slaves. There is a sense of righteousness and stability.

"A balance," says Rey firmly, a little surprised at the outcome of the visions. She then opens her eyes and sees her father sitting across from her, looking very pleased while she is very confused as to what she has just witnessed. Everything she has ever thought to be true, everything she has ever learned seems less and less certain the more she thinks about the visions. "What was that?"

"The true nature of the Force," replies Luke. "It's so much bigger."

"So what Kylo said was true," says Rey dejectedly. "The Jedi were wrong." She looks at at her father imploringly. "What happens to us now?"

Luke looks at her directly, his blue eyes piercing her brown. "I know only one truth: It's time for the Jedi to end."


End file.
